Cum Tacent, Clamant
by WriteToLive
Summary: Jack's six months undercover with the Salazar's. Expect Angst, Fights and Drugs - everything to come! Please R
1. Default Chapter

Cum Tacent, Clamant

Part I

Chapter I

God she was crying again. And trying not to look at him. He hated when she did that, tried to drag her eyes away and hide the tears. Maybe he was grateful really. He would be, if she would keep them looking away. But they never stayed away – they peered back at him after a few seconds, then away again, then back and on and on until he felt like he was at some surreal tennis game.

It was quiet, as it had been for the last couple of months. Only the stifled sound of her sobs broke the silence and they seemed louder because of it. Jack wished she would be quiet. He had wanted this to be easy on her. And on him too, if he was honest. But she wasn't listening to anything he said. Or didn't say.

'You've known for three months? Three months and you didn't tell me?'

She could hardly speak through the tears she was trying to control.

'I didn't know an exact date until a week ago.'

He was tired. He felt he should go over and put his arms around her and say he was sorry, but he couldn't. He wasn't sorry. And pretending he was would be worse. It would take too much effort. So he put his palms flat on the kitchen worktop in front of him and took his weight on them, lifting his feet an inch or two off the floor and hovering there while he waited for her to speak again.

'So why didn't you tell me last week?'

Placed himself back down silently. 'It was your father's birthday Kate. I didn't want to ruin that.' _But I ruined it anyway didn't I? Because your father doesn't like me much, I'm not the man he wanted for his oldest daughter. His princess. To him, I'm a frog that will never be a prince. He'll be _delighted_ that I'm leaving. _

'It was my father's birthday for one day Jack. There have been six days since then and you didn't tell me on any of them. You're telling me now and you're leaving tomorrow.' She glared up at him with her large blue eyes that were shiny with tears. Full of anger and pain. He wished he still cared. But this was grating on him like fingers on a blackboard and his ears were starting to hurt.

'Yeah.' OK, that was a lame response. But what else could he say? He didn't have an excuse for his behaviour after all. Jack brushed his fingers across his nose and then pinched the bridge of it, staring downwards and trying to care. He did really. Just not right now. 'I have to go out for a couple of hours Kate. I'm sorry. We'll talk later.'

He walked over and stood next to her, looked down and tried to smile reassuringly. He even reached for her shoulder to rest a hand on. She pulled away, never taking her angry eyes off his face.

'Don't you need to pack?'

He already had, this morning when she was at brunch with her father. He wasn't taking much with him but the storage guys had come to take his boxes away. She hadn't been upstairs yet so she didn't know. All the big stuff was hers anyway, he'd only really been a lodger here. They had pretended otherwise but if she would just open her eyes, she would see that he'd never really been there. Not since the first couple of months.

'Later. I really have to go. And I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier. It wasn't nice of me. I just…'

She leaned forward, almost eagerly. He might actually say something real this time, instead of empty words that filled gaps in the air.

'…hadn't found a good moment.'

She sat back in her chair again, one elbow on the smooth polish of the wooden table while fingers traced circles on the surface. She watched the invisible patterns she made.

She wanted to throw the damn table at him.

'Go out. We'll talk later.' Her voice was listless and gave away no emotion but Jack knew she was hurting. Any normal person would under these circumstances. But he was empty inside, unable to find any real empathy. He wanted to but it just wasn't there.

Instead he said 'OK,' in a normal voice like everything was all right, then grabbed his car keys and headed out of the door.

Kate stared as the door closed behind him, wondering who this man was that she had lived with for six months. He had steadily withdrawn more and more from her and had been gone for a while now, if she was honest. But she held on to his physical body and hoped it would house the real Jack again someday, the sweet funny guy that had got lost somewhere and replaced by this stranger that she couldn't reach, no matter how far she stretched.

Now it seemed she was out of time. She had tried to get to him before the clock ran down but the fuse was at its end and God knows what would happen now.

* * *

He sighed with relief as he exited the house and headed for the car in the huge double garage, wanting more than anything to get out of here. Even if he was just going into work for a final run down of the mission, anything was better than having those eyes staring at him, leaking water constantly and leaving him with the feeling that he should be doing more to help her understand. Which he knew he should really. He just couldn't seem to muster the energy to get into it, it was all a hassle that he couldn't deal with anymore.

As he drove down the street he wondered if the apathy was a side-effect of his little foray into the world of drugs. He'd read it was possible. But if he was honest with himself, he knew it wasn't that, because this had started long before he first made the operational decision to become a user. It was just something that happened he guessed, they'd drifted apart. All those long hours he was putting in and then required to get into a tux to go to the country club for dinner. Talking to billionaire businessmen over drinks was surreal, they didn't know what to make of him although he was able to make enough conversation to keep it from being awkward. It was just that he didn't belong in that world and everyone knew it, including himself. All the extravagance made him uncomfortable, Christ, he'd pretty much lived off army rations for ten years not too long ago and he couldn't get along with fois gras and escargot on a Saturday night, it was too weird. It made him itch to go and do something physical, just in case the idleness of wealth suddenly rubbed off on him.

He pulled into CTU and sat for a moment in his car. It was Sunday and everything seemed quiet – no shifts changing for a while. Everyone would be inside, humming with activity, planning out the final details – all working so hard for one guy. Him. So that he could go undercover and retrieve information and oh yeah, try not to get killed as well. He was glad of them, this team that worked so hard but it all seemed too strange today, his mind was too quiet. Nothing about him felt tense. It couldn't be the drugs because his last shot was yesterday morning but still – normally before a deep cover mission, he felt nervous, there was adrenaline pumping through him the day before. Today? Nothing.

Well, no. That wasn't quite true. There _was_ something but even as he started to acknowledge it, he rejected it. He wasn't going to think like that. He jumped out of the car and went to work. Time to get this over with.

* * *

Tony reached for the phone but stopped as he saw Michelle below his office talking to one of the tech guys. He walked to the door and stuck his head round it instead.

'Michelle!' Almost a shout really. She glanced up to show that she'd heard him, then finished her brief conversation about the information exchange they were thinking of setting up with the Mexican authorities. Then she walked up to Tony, who was still hovering in the doorway with an anxious expression on his face.

'There's no need to shout for me Tony. What's up?'

'Is he here yet?'

'If he were here, we'd be down in the conference room. What's the matter with you today? You look like you're about to have an attack of something.'

Tony let his shoulders slump, then he sighed and motioned her inside with a jerk of his head. 'Just busy. Division's breathing down my neck.' They sat down in the armchairs and Michelle noticed how tense he was. He paused before adding 'And - has he said anything to you about this job?'

'Like what?'

'Like why he's taking it.'

Michelle thought for a moment. 'You've asked me this before Tony and I don't know anything new. This is a dangerous mission. You know Jack. He's not going to put a less experienced agent in there, they'd get killed. He's doing it because he's the best man for it.' She studied her husband carefully. 'You know this. What's the real problem?'

Tony sighed and stared at the floor. 'I don't know. There's something different about him recently. I can't describe it but…' He didn't know what he was trying to say. 'Never mind. Anyway, he's late. We're stacked up and Division are waiting for updates on the details. Chappelle's gonna be here in an hour, we have to figure out whether jurisdiction's going to be a problem, Chloe's been driving the Field guys crazy, the new kid's buzzing around like he's on speed and we're all waiting for Jack to get here. So where the hell is he?'

Michelle smiled, reached out and rubbed his leg. She knew he was stressed – and that he was worried and was trying to hide it. 'Tony?' He raised an eye to hers. 'Jack will be fine. Don't worry about him, he's the best we've got. And we're handling things on our end. It'll be OK.'

_Will it Michelle? You haven't heard everything Salazar likes to do to people he doesn't like. Hell, even some people he **does** like. I'd be worried if I was going in there with next to no back up. _'Yeah I know sweetheart. It'll be fine. I'm just tired.' He tried to smile at his wife. _And he isn't. No emotion at all. He doesn't seem to care. That's why I'm worried. _She smiled and stood up, went to move back down to the floor. He watched her. _I've seen him like this before. After Teri died. It was worse then, but it's getting bad now as well. And I don't know why. _

'Oh hey, I see him. I'll go get people into the conference room. Or do you want to talk to him up here about anything first?'

Tony stood and walked to the desk. 'Department heads in twenty minutes. I need to sort out this jurisdiction thing with him first.' Michelle nodded and left, passing Jack on the stairs as he headed up to Field Ops. She said 'hi' to him but he didn't seem to hear her and she rolled her eyes slightly as she went back to work.

'Hey Tony.'

'Hey Jack.' Tony picked up a file. 'I need to talk to you. You got a few?'

'I guess. What time's the briefing?'

'Twenty minutes.'

Jack nodded and followed Tony into his office. 'What's up?'

'We need to figure out what we're going to tell the Mexican authorities about you. We left it until the last minute so chatter was kept down, but we need to let them know by tonight what's going on. What time will you arrive?'

Jack just stared at him. 'What the hell are you talking about? We're not telling them anything.'

'What? Of course we are!'

'Tony, listen to what you're saying for Chris' sakes. You don't think Salazar has people in authority over there? If we let them know tonight that I'm coming, they'll shoot me as soon as I set foot outside the airport tomorrow. Get real.'

Tony flinched slightly as the last two words were spat at him with venom. 'Jack…if things go south and we have to get you out of there quickly, we're going to need the Mexicans to go and get you. You're unauthorized down there, your cover will be fact…

'Why are you telling me stuff I already know? We don't have time for this.'

He ploughed on regardless, determined to be heard. 'Then you know it means that CTU can't cross the border until the last second. We'll be a couple of hours away from you at all times – how the hell do you expect to survive if things go wrong? Be realistic Jack…'

'No Tony, listen to me. Anyone in the Mexican government knows I'm coming, this mission is over before I leave. Salazar is a serious player, we wouldn't be going near him if he weren't. So don't tell me that we're going to mess this thing up from the start, we've all worked too hard. I'll find a way to keep the information I find safe and get it back to you, don't worry about that. No letting them know who I am or what I'm doing there and no information exchanges to secure my rescue if needed, OK?'

Tony looked down at the floor. 'What if you _do_ need a quick rescue though?'

'I'll look after myself Tony, don't worry about me.'

Jack was calm as he stood, his features relaxed and Tony found it disconcerting somehow. That a man could be so blasé about his personal safety was strange but then he reminded himself that this was Jack and it was fairly normal behaviour. _But why Jack? Why don't you care?_

He sat down wearily. 'So, you want me to call Division and tell them that we're sending you in there undercover, completely alone, no back-up, no support system, and you think they're just going to trust that you can do this?'

'They don't have a choice.' Jack watched Tony sitting there and didn't get what his problem was. It wasn't as though he hadn't gone undercover before, why the worry this time?

Another sigh. 'No, I don't suppose they do. OK, I'll call them and let them know.' Jack nodded and went to walk out. 'Jack?' He stopped and looked back.

'What's going on?'

_Don't ask me Tony, you don't want to know_. 'We've got a job to do Tony and I'm the best person to do it. That's all.' He walked on without waiting for a response. Tony stared after him in frustration then reached for the phone. It was all he could do.

The briefing was fairly straightforward. Jack made sure that everyone knew the details of his cover and what they might have to do maintain it. He gave a brief estimate of how long he expected the mission to take, what he hoped to achieve in addition to the vital information they required. Tony took over and explained that Jack would be trying to get in contact once a week at a designated time, but that it might not always be possible, so all staff should be aware of the procedures if a call time and its three back-ups were missed. No one had to spell out what it meant if Jack missed more than three back-up slots.

Then it was all said and Jack left the conference room for his office, leaving everyone sitting there, watching him go and wondering what it would be like to be him right now. He was about to disappear, become someone else entirely and if he forgot that for one minute he'd probably die. Most people around the table were suddenly glad that they didn't work in Field Ops. Everyone knew of Salazar's reputation.

They filed out to go back to their jobs and Michelle hung back for a second. 'You feel better now Tony? He seemed fine.'

He was stuffing papers back into folders and wouldn't look at her. _No Michelle I don't. He's not fine. I can't explain it. You don't know him like I do. You don't know the lengths to which he'll go._

'Sure. Everything's set. He'll get the call in the morning that we're a go, there's nothing here that Division can't live with.'

She ran her hand up his arm before she left, a gesture designed to comfort, except it didn't and she knew it. Tony headed back up to his office, looking over to Jack's as he walked up the stairs and seeing him on the phone talking with someone. He tried to shake the uneasiness that had been bothering him for a few weeks but it wouldn't go away and it was driving him crazy, he couldn't put his finger on what it was. He stared down at the floor below, deep in thought and was only roused by a knocking on the door. He turned and waved Jack inside.

'I'm all done here Tony. We're set, right?' He put a file down on the desk, all information relating to his personal infiltration plans. Stuff the others didn't know.

'Yeah I guess. I can call if there's any changes last-minute.' He paused. 'You got a minute to talk?'

Jack tried to conceal his frustration by nodding. He just wanted to get out of here. Instead, he dropped into a chair and wondered what this was about, why Tony had been treading on egg shells around him recently as though there was something he was desperate to say but couldn't get out.

'You talk to Kim?'

'Yeah. She knows I'm going.'

'Does she know that she'll probably be involved with the mission once she starts working here?'

'I'm not allowed to tell her that, she doesn't work here yet.' She wouldn't graduate officially for another month but she'd already been interviewed for the position and passed all the security checks so she would start pretty much start straight away. Low level stuff to begin with of course, but even low level people would be involved on a mission of this size.

'You want me to talk to her when she starts?'

For the first time in a month, Tony saw a flash of the real Jack, the one he knew. It was in the way his features twisted ever so slightly and conveyed worry and affection, in the way his eyes looked troubled. He even smiled a little and when he spoke, his voice sounded like it used to.

'Yeah. Thanks Tony, I'd appreciate that.' Then it was gone and his face lost all expression again. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his CTU ID, which he slid across the desk. 'Look after that for me would you?'

Tony picked it up and tapped it against his hand. There would be a letter inside, along with his badge. 'You sure?'

'Yeah.' _Give it to her if I don't come back OK?_

_OK Jack._

He stood to leave, tapping the folder he'd put down for Tony and then sliding it efficiently towards him. He couldn't take those plans with him. Then he pulled on his jacket and made to leave, turning away. At the last minute he glanced up at Tony and something about him made him stop.

'What?'

Tony fiddled with the corner of the file, hesitant to say anything. But this was all wrong. Jack was always business-like when he was working, but something was different here. He was too cold. He was about to walk out of the door without saying goodbye, no handshake, nothing. After the months of preparation, the hours and hours of work that had gone into planning this mission, Jack was acting like it was a routine thing. They both knew it wasn't. It didn't seem right.

He let go of the file and scratched at his cheek. Jack was staring at him with impatience.

'Tony, if you've got something to say, spit it out. I gotta get going.'

'I just wanted to say…look after yourself.'

Oh fuck. The guy was going to get sentimental on him. Jack made sure the thought didn't register on his face but he couldn't stop the mental eye-rolling.

'I'll be fine.' _Let me out of here Tony, I gotta go…_

'No, that's not how I meant it exactly.'

'Well, say what you mean.'

'It's just that – you're different lately Jack. And I can't help feeling that its not a good thing. Just know that…' _What's going on man…? _'Make sure you come back, alright? Don't do anything stupid. We need you to bring this off, and there'll be a lot of cleaning up to do afterwards. You'll have to be here to help with that.'

Not quite what he wanted to say but he hoped Jack got the message.

Jack stared at him, unblinking.

'Yeah.' He turned to go.

'Good luck.'

'Yeah.'

And then he was gone. Tony knew it was stupid, but he felt a little hurt. He didn't know what he expected but it was more than that. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. Oh well. It would start very soon now and he had to focus. He picked up the folder and Jack's ID and filed them both away carefully, noticing Jack walking across the floor downstairs, headed for the exit. People were looking at him, aware that he'd be gone for a long while. But he didn't acknowledge any of them, didn't seem to notice them at all. He was locked in his own space and no one was invited into it, no one dared try and intrude. People tensed as he walked by, it was visible on their faces. He pushed his way out of the door and the air seemed to lose its tension, people visibly relaxed. Tony marvelled at how obvious it was when you saw it from a distance.

A thought crossed his mind and he pushed it away instantly, refusing to contemplate it. But it crept back and, reluctantly, Tony allowed himself to spend a quiet moment wondering if he'd ever see Jack again.

* * *

He slid his shades on as he left CTU and felt his heart sink as he realised that now he had to go back and deal with Kate. He should've done better with that situation, it wouldn't be so hard for her if he'd made more effort before. But really – would it have been fair of him to act like everything was OK? That would hurt her even more now that he was leaving. Better that she be angry with him probably, then she could tell herself he was a jerk and she was better off without him. Which might even be true.

He pulled out of the parking lot and made as if to go back to her place. Then he changed his mind at the last minute and headed downtown instead. He hadn't given a time when he would be back, so she wasn't expecting him. He had time to go and do some other things first.

As he drove, he almost smiled. He felt lighter than he had in months. He was done with CTU, for a while at least, and he hadn't expected to feel this good about it. One more evening to get through at Kate's place and then it would just be him again.

He couldn't wait.


	2. Cum Tacent Clamant II

Chapter II

He drove back to Kate's in a haze, the shot he had just purchased made the world float in front of him pleasantly and let his mind drift aimlessly. He still didn't feel anything about the mission he was about to embark on, there were still no nerves. But the drugs were to blame right now. He didn't know why he didn't feel them before he got high and he didn't care at this point. _Just one more evening to get through_.

He remembered the thoughts he had blocked before walking into CTU earlier and now allowed them space to roam around his head. Heroin gave him that freedom, to think without judgement. Because the fact of the matter was, he was glad to be going away. Glad to be fighting again. Even if this was dangerous, he wanted out of his life. Living in his skin was a chore, his own face was a weight on his shoulders. He wanted to be the Jack Bauer that didn't have to come home to a woman he didn't love, the man who didn't have to sit in an office all day and face himself in the mirror every morning. It wasn't that he was looking forward to doing the things he was almost sure he was going to have to do – the violence and pain he would have to endure and inflict held no appeal for him

_(Liar)_

it was simply that he wanted something different to what he had at the moment. He still wanted to serve his country and the information he gathered would be important. He was just glad that it was he that had the opportunity to go and get it.

Jack pulled into the driveway and pushed the remote that opened the back gate. He waited impatiently as it swung open slowly, when it was barely wide enough to admit his SUV he hit the accelerator hard, causing gravel to fly under his wheels. He drove fast up the driveway and skidded to a halt in front of the garage. Heh. That was what passed for outlandish behaviour around here.

He took a moment to focus himself before heading inside, silently hoping that Kate would have gone to her fathers for the night instead of facing him. Or maybe she would insist he went to a hotel. He knew she was angry, she probably had every right to be. Facing it was not a pleasant option right now. He just wanted to be left alone.

The smell of cooking from the kitchen made his heart sink. Of course she wouldn't run away. She was stronger than that. She'd see this through. He didn't want her to but reluctantly admitted to himself that he owed her this last evening. He had to try and talk to her, if that was what she wanted, because she had put up with him for six months and it hadn't been easy on her. And she really was a great woman. They'd been happy for a while. He just couldn't deal with this domesticity, would never fit into her life. He didn't want wealth and stability. He had had that with Teri. And she was gone and he was a different man now – he wanted what _this_ Jack wanted. Discomfort. Instability. Anything but what he had. It was what he deserved.

'Hey.'

'Hey.' Keys on the countertop. Smelt like lasagne, his favourite. His stomach turned.

'I'm sorry about earlier Kate.' Why did the walls feel like they were closing in?

She held out a spoon. 'Taste this. Does it need more salt?' He forced himself to try it.

'No, it's fine.'

Kate poured the sauce on the sheets of pasta and covered it with cheese, then placed the dish in the oven. She paused with her back to him, wondering what she would say. Would he stay if she asked him to?

No, of course not. It was work. He probably didn't have a choice but to go. And if he did have a choice? She made herself be honest, even though it hurt.

He would still go. There was no way she would be able to hang on to him. But she asked anyway because she couldn't think of any other way to fill the silence.

'Would you stay for me Jack?'

'I can't. Its work.'

'Did they make you accept this job?'

The moment of truth. Lie or not? He hesitated, tried to work out which would be easier for her to hear.

'No, they didn't make me.'

She was so still, he didn't know if she'd heard or not. Then he saw her shoulders sag just a tiny bit and he knew she had. He didn't go to her because how could he? He was choosing to leave her and hugging her and telling her he'd miss her would not be the truth. He was a lot of things but he wasn't a hypocrite.

She turned and her face was sad. But instead of talking she handed him some plates. 'Could you put these on the table please? I'll bring it through.'

He nodded and was glad she understood. They were both happy when he left the room and Kate didn't cry. For the first time, she allowed herself to be relieved that he wasn't there anymore.

Dinner passed in silence.

* * *

He slept in the guestroom. It seemed more appropriate and she didn't argue with him, even though it hurt like hell when he said he was going to. He lay for a while, wondering why he couldn't wait for the morning. His high was wearing off but he wasn't addicted so it didn't bother him. He just couldn't sleep, and he wanted to because then the night would be over and he'd be busy again. And away from Los Angeles, which was the important thing.

There were footsteps in the hallway and he didn't move, he just lay there naked, with a sheet barely covering his waist. He stared at the ceiling fan with one arm curled behind his head and didn't even stir when she slipped in beside him, didn't hold her when her arms slid across his chest and warmed his skin.

'Where are you Jack?' A whisper that he barely heard, but it was OK because she knew he wouldn't answer. She just kissed him and he let her, let himself get aroused and let her make love to him for the last time. He even let himself enjoy it, all in silence, and that was what she had come to expect. She stayed for a while afterwards but then left as quietly as she had come because the absence of sound was too loud for her to sleep. Jack dozed off and woke to an empty house. The relief that coursed through him as he loaded up his few bags and drove away was stronger than any drugs he'd taken.

He stared out of the window of the plane as it took off, watching the ground fall away beneath him. It almost made him smile. The he reclined his seat and immediately fell asleep, more at peace than in any bed he'd found since Teri died.

* * *

Customs had been easy but he was still glad to get out of the airport, which was full of families with endless amounts of children all jabbering away in Spanish that was almost too rapid for him to understand. He got a cab to a hotel near the Centro Historico and it wasn't too long before he stepped out into the heat and the noise of Mexico City. _Hey, I managed to survive a cab ride in town. That's the most dangerous part of the mission done right there Tony_, he deadpanned to himself as he paid the driver and grabbed his bags. The hotel was pretty run down but it wasn't as bad as where he'd be tomorrow night. Not that he cared either way. He only had to make a phone call and then he wouldn't be himself anymore, the man to come didn't care where he slept.

He dumped his bags and took a quick shower, then headed out. He stayed in the commercial part of town, bought a few packs of American cigarettes and a local cell phone, surveyed the streets from behind his dark shades. There wasn't a lot he could do until it got dark but he did need to call Tony soon. He was now two hours ahead of PST but he still couldn't leave it too late. They'd be waiting on his call so that they could give him any updates there were and he needed to let them know the number he would be reachable on in emergencies only. He had a scrambled cell in his luggage but that was only to be used for the passing of information, as everything got encoded when he used it. It didn't look like a regular phone which was why he needed a local one – at this stage, he needed to blend in. Standing out would be for later on.

Jack walked for most of the afternoon, acclimatising to the heat, which wasn't really too bad, and getting used to his surroundings. After a quick dinner at McDonalds he headed back to his hotel, satisfied that he knew a little of the area where he was staying. It could be useful, you could never have too many escape routes planned, even if you were only staying a day or so. Back in his room he turned the TV on loud and started the shower running to help muffle the sound of his voice in the room. Then he dialled Tony's direct CTU line and hoped the connection wouldn't be crackly.

'Almedia.'

'Hey, it's Jack.' He could almost see Tony straightening in his chair and logging the call on his terminal.

'Having a good time so far?' _Any problems getting in?_

'Yeah, seems like it's going to be fun.' _All clear, no one trailing me_.

'How's the climate?' _Anything unusual to report?_

'Not too bad. Might rain tonight though.' _No danger spotted. Going to move tonight._

'OK, well call me tomorrow and let me know what the place is like. I can come down and meet up with you if you get bored.' _Call with progress report in the morning. Any danger, get out._

'Sure, I will. Doesn't look like I'll be bored here though, there's lots to do.' _Will update in the morning. Not anticipating a problem._ Jack rolled his eyes. He knew what he was doing, he wished Tony would stop worrying. It was procedure though, so he put up with it.

'OK, see ya man. Have fun.' _Good luck_.

'I will. Later.' _Yeah._

He hung up and tossed the phone on the broken bedside cabinet. It was about 6pm, he didn't want to move before 10. There wasn't much to do in the meantime so he lay down on the bed, even though he wasn't tired. In the field, you took every chance you had to rest because you never knew when you were going to need the extra energy. Just like you used coded conversations when there was no obvious need for them and if you had a car, you never missed an opportunity to top the tank up with gas. It was basic fieldwork and even though it could be a pain in the ass, you did it because it could save your life. He closed his eyes and tried to will himself to doze, listening to the clunks from the ancient A/C unit and the shouts and traffic noise from the streets below.

Twenty minutes later he sighed and gave up, it wasn't working. He stared at the peeling paint on the ceiling and started to run over his plans in his head. He'd done it a thousand times but you could never plan enough, not ever.

The main objective was obvious in its simplicity – he had to infiltrate the Salazar's and get into a position where they trusted him enough to share information with him. That wouldn't be easy though – both brothers had a reputation for secrecy and only trusting blood. That's why a lot of their highest positions were filled with cousins, nephews, and to a slightly lesser degree, brothers-in-law. Ramon and Hector were the only two living sons of their father, Emanuel, but they had at least eleven full sisters and probably a lot more half-sisters around. Probably half-brothers too, but they wouldn't get much recognition if they were only bastards created by the elder's inability to keep it in his pants. Either way, getting to a high position in the cartel would be a long and difficult task. It needed to be done though, and he had carte blanche when it came to time – unless they were planning something serious, then he would need to be able to step in and end it.

Jack knew it was quite possible that he'd be working here for a year or two – if he got in and discovered they were only just starting to link to the terrorist cells that CTU knew about, he'd need to stay and monitor the situation. On the other hand, he could find out that they were right in the middle of something big, in which case he'd have justification for bringing them in right away and trying to get the information out of them. No one knew which way it would go and he was prepared for a long haul. The first stage was to get a job within the cartel and he'd manoeuvre from there, and that's what he concentrated on now. He kept the larger plan in his head at all times of course, but the main focus was on the first step. He ran it through in his mind again while the seconds ticked past and he waited for it to get dark.

He rose at about 21:30 and changed his clothes. Then he rang out for a taxi to come and pick him up – it was easy to get one on the street but crime was rife among cab drivers and the last thing he needed was for someone to try and rob him. If he put someone in hospital who then reported it, he'd draw attention and that was the last thing he needed at this point. So he waited in the lobby until he saw the car pull up and he checked the licence plate against the one he'd been assured would be coming for him – it matched, so he hopped in and directed it to an area on the north edge of the city. The driver looked at him with unease but didn't say anything – the Nezahualcoyotl slums were famous for being a hotbed of crime. But it was a good fare so he drove on anyway. Jack knew he wouldn't get the man to stay and wait for him.

The drive took about an hour and Jack compared the route with the map in his head as well as he could in the dark. It kept him alert and focused and didn't give his mind a chance to wander. Not there was much it could wander to at the minute, it wasn't as though he had a life anymore. Apart from Kim, there was nothing attaching him to LA at all and for the purposes of this mission, she didn't exist. Jack always found it easier when he was undercover to really become the person he was pretending to be – even if the man shared traits with Bauer, his new persona would not be the same as his real self. It also had the added advantage of keeping himself separate from whatever it was he had to do when he was undercover. That was the theory anyway.

They were at a slow stoplight and Jack used the quiet moments to recap his cover once again to make sure it came to him automatically. Jack Michaels, age 37. Captain in US Army Special Forces until six years ago when he was dishonorably discharged for selling weapons and supplies to guerilla fighters in Baghdad. Suspicion of drug abuse on record but never proven. Since then, been working off-book on the Circuit, a well known trade for ex-special forces men that involved providing security and training for wealthy clients in the Middle East. Jack smirked to himself as the car started to move again. If he hadn't had a family when he left the Army, that's probably what he really would be doing. He'd even thought about it after Teri had died but his own lethargy stopped him doing anything about it. If it hadn't have been for the events of that day that called him back into CTU, he probably would have though. It was dangerous work that paid well and it was easy to pick up. Many friends of his were there now.

Eventually the cab pulled over and the driver turned to him. 'Esto es por lo que iré.' _This is as far as I will go._ Jack nodded and paid him, then watched as he pulled away as fast as he could. It was the clearest indication yet that he was in dangerous territory here, so he stepped lightly and avoided eye contact with the few people he saw walking the narrow streets.

He was in a slum area, where apartment buildings were packed together so closely you could barely get between them. There was noise from every apartment, TV's blaring, people shouting, things banging and cars revved all around. Kids ran around the streets barefooted and yelled to each other, they chased soccer balls even though it was dark and their clothes were ragged and dirty. The smell of bad sanitation surrounded him and it took a while before his nostrils could get used to it and ignore it. Jack didn't find all this surprising, it was pretty much what he'd expected and anyway, he'd seen worse places. If he was right, he should find what he was looking for pretty soon.

He was right. After walking for about ten minutes, a voice came at him from the darkness of a doorway.

'¿Buscando algo señor?'

'Si.' Yes, he was looking for something.

'Americano?'

'Si.' He could almost hear the grin widen in the darkness and sighed to himself. Well, if he had to start proving himself tonight, so be it.

'¿drogas?'

'Si. Heroina.'

The man stepped out of the doorway and Jack took a step back. Partly to make it appear that he was slightly intimidated and partly to put himself in a better stance to fight. The man was young and taller than he was by a few inches, but he was thin and was obviously a junkie himself, judging by the wasting of the muscles and the pallor of his skin. He had a mop of greasy black hair that fell past his shoulders and his face bore acne scars and pockmarks that helped enhance the ugliness of his uneven features. Jack judged that he would be a quick mover but not brave, which he surmised by the way his eyes flitted around in the dim streetlights. They didn't size him up the way a cautious man would, and that made him vulnerable. He jerked his head to indicate Jack should follow him and he did, carefully. They retreated back into the shadows and the man quickly started negotiating a price. It was cheaper here but Jack bargained anyway. Michaels wouldn't be a sucker and was supposed to be on a budget, of sorts. Once the price was agreed, the guy retreated a distance and pulled out his cell to make a call which Jack was grateful for, as it gave him a chance to get the right money without pulling out his whole wad. It would be dangerous to show what he had with him.

The guy came back. 'Diez minutos. ¿Usted desea cualquier cosa ?' _Ten minutes. You want anything else?_

'¿Dónde puedo comprar un arma?' _Where can I buy a gun?_

The man smiled and opened his arms to indicate _anywhere_. Jack smirked back. It was OK if this guy didn't supply them. He could do with meeting a few people anyway. He moved so that he was leaning against a wall, and rested his head against it, quietly eyeing the man who seemed a little nervous. After a minute or two, the Mexican felt he should break the silence. He pointed to his chest.

'Fernando.' Jack nodded but didn't offer his name in return. Fernando grinned and his tongue flitted over cracked lips. '¿Usted desea un blowjob?' Jack pushed off the wall, ready to defend himself if he had to. He should have expected this. 'Tenemos tiempo. Soy bueno.' _Well, we might have time and you might be good, but if you try and get your mouth near my dick, I'll put your head through the fucking wall, kid,_ was what Jack wanted to say. Instead he just shook his head and moved his body so that Fernando got the message. It was quite obvious and the boy looked away nervously.

The silence grew and neither spoke but Fernando was obviously relieved when his name was called from another dark doorway. He edged quickly away from Jack, spoke in a hushed voice and then returned with ten grams of heroin. Jack tasted it with his finger to check it was the real deal, then handed the money over. Fernando pocketed it quickly and then hesitated. He spoke quickly, as if frightened that Jack might still hit him for his previous advance. He almost seemed apologetic, as though he was sorry he'd crossed a line.

'Venido por la mañana. Mi amigo tendrá un arma para usted.' _Come in the morning. My friend will have a gun for you._

'¿Cuándo?' _What time?_

'Diez' _Ten._

'¿aquí?' _Here?_

'Si.'

Jack nodded and Fernando grinned suddenly. He slunk backwards into the doorway as quietly as he had appeared, leaving Jack alone. Now was the dangerous time. Two people knew he had money and was carrying a fairly large amount of heroin. The word would be spreading already that a stupid American was wandering alone and he was sure to encounter some people on his way out. Which was, of course, the point of this. Well, in addition to getting some supplies for himself. He wished he'd got the gun tonight but he couldn't walk around all night or he probably wouldn't make it out at all. All these people would carry weapons.

He headed back the way he had come, careful to walk at a fairly fast pace so that it would appear that he wanted to get out of there. He was almost back to the side of the road where he had been dropped off when suddenly there were three men standing in front of him. They had seemed to appear from nowhere and his heart jumped in spite of the fact that he'd been expecting it.

'Hello.' Well, at least one of them spoke English.

'Hi.' He made as if to walk past but was stopped by a hand on his chest.

'Hand it over.'

Jack looked down at the hand, and seemed to shrink from it. He raised both his palms to face the men and looked up nervously. 'I don't want any trouble.'

'No trouble. Hand it over.'

He didn't move, just waited for the guy to come for him. As soon as he did, Jack moved quickly, grabbing the outstretched arm at the wrist, pulling on it to get the man off balance and stepping to the side, yanking the guys arm up his back as he went. His other arm went to the face and he shoved his head to one side, using the bone to dig into the jaw. It rendered the man unable to move quickly and efficiently, while causing a fair amount of pain. His friends could do nothing, seeing as Jack was now tucked safely behind a human shield.

'I wont hand anything over. I want to know something. Tell me quickly and I wont break your arm. Nod if you understand.' The guy nodded, hurting his own face in the process.

'You know the guy I was talking to, Fernando?' Another jerk of the head. 'Does everyone know him around here?' There was no response and Jack twisted the arm a little further.

'You're hurting my brother!' Jack moved his eyes to the two others. The one speaking was younger than he had first appeared, no more than sixteen.

'You know him too kid?'

'Yes. Everyone know him.'

He switched into Spanish to make sure he was clear. 'Tell him to bring what I want to my hotel tomorrow morning at eleven. Tell him I'll pay extra if he does. And you'll get twenty bucks for doing it. OK?' The boy nodded. 'Go do it now and get him to write down what I'm getting so I know you've done it. Take your friend. You'll get your money when you come back and I'll let your brother go without hurting him. Do it now.' He gave the name of his hotel. The boy nodded again and ran off with the other one. As soon as they were gone, Jack pulled the man around and pushed him face first into a wall where they weren't so obvious to anyone else around.

'What's your name?'

'Ernesto.' The guy was nervous and Jack made him more so by adding extra pressure to the arm.

'You heard of the Salazar's Ernesto?'

'Salazar's?' There was an edge in the man's voice and Jack knew that he had. It wasn't hard to surmise. Everyone had heard of them. They were the biggest suppliers in Mexico and practically ruled half of Columbia.

'Yeah. I think you know who I'm talking about. I need to talk to someone who works for them.'

Ernesto nearly asked why but changed his mind. He didn't need to know why. If this guy was involved with the Salazar's he wasn't interested in the details. 'Lots of people work for them. Or say they do.'

'Well, I need someone who isn't just a cheap street pusher.'

'I don't know man...if I say anything...' he gasped as Jack pushed the arm to breaking point.

'Just tell me where to go and a name. That's all I want. You'll keep your arm in one piece and I'll even pay you for the information. How's that?'

There was more pain and Ernesto closed his eyes and nodded. 'There's a bar in the Zona Rosa. Place for tourists. Its called the Desperado. Ask for Alviro.'

'Who's he?'

'He runs the place. But he works for them.'

'How do you know?'

He laughed, a muffled sound into the wall. 'Because he is protected. Everyone knows this. Go there and you will see.'

Jack weighed up his options. He could check the place out tonight, and if it was no good he could ask Fernando in the morning. He let some of the pressure off.

'Are you a cop?'

'No.' Jack thought for a second. It couldn't hurt, the information needed to get around. This was why he'd come here after all. 'I'm looking for a job.'

'With the Salazar's?' The guy was crazy obviously and Ernesto got _really_ nervous now. He decided to shut up before he was killed.

There was the sound of running feet and the boy was back. He carried a piece of paper which he wordlessly held out to Jack. He took it with his free hand and opened it. It said yes, the gun would be brought to the hotel. $100 American dollars extra. Jack nodded and spoke quietly to the man pinned to the wall.

'I'm going to let you go now. Don't make any fast moves or you'll lose all your teeth, understand?' He got a quick nod and eased off. The younger brother stared impassively and silently held out his hand. Jack gave him a twenty and stuffed a fifty in Ernesto's pocket. 'Thanks kid.' Then he moved quickly down the street onto the road, where he started walking. He got lucky and noticed a cab after only a few minutes which responded to his outstretched arm. Jack negotiated a price into the Zona Rosa and settled back quietly, comfortable in a seat that smelt of stale cigarette smoke.

The adrenaline started flowing and he allowed himself a long breath. That could have turned out a lot worse, he decided. He had known that it would easy to get drugs and a gun, but he was lucky that he had a lead on Salazar already. It might not even be necessary – if Ernesto talked, which he was bound to, it wouldn't be long before someone came looking for him. No one threw the Salazar name around lightly and they would want to know who this gringo was. It would take a while to filter up to them of course – Jack laughed to himself. Oh yeah, at least a few hours. Ernesto was probably calling this Alviro guy right now, he would be expected by the time he showed up. And that was good. He needed to show that he had balls, if he appeared weak they wouldn't be interested at all.

The ride back into the city was quicker as the traffic wasn't as heavy on the outskirts. As always, Jack concentrated on his surroundings, noting the speed of traffic in the different areas, the make-up of certain neighborhoods, the amount of people on the streets. Probably useless by itself but it all served to gather a larger picture in his head. They reached the Zona Rosa – he took a second to wonder why it was called the Pink Zone, but there was no immediate answer so he let it go – and asked the driver to go past the Desperado. He got a grunt in reply which he decided to take as an affirmative.

This area was obviously the tourist part of town. American stores were everywhere, from Burger King to Starbucks and there was a lot of white skin on the sidewalks. The bar was on the left side of a busy street and it looked like a regular joint, no more glitzy and no more run down than any other bars in the area. Jack asked the driver to pull over for a minute as he looked at the place. He made sure his white face was noticeable from the windows of the bar, just in case anyone was looking. After a couple of minutes, two doormen came out and stood by the entrance. They didn't obviously look in Jack's direction so maybe they were just coming on shift. But Jack didn't believe in coincidences when he was in the field, so maybe they weren't either. He lingered for another moment, looking for some other sign that he'd been noticed and then told the driver to take him back to his hotel. He got another grunt in return.

Back in his room, the first thing he did was take the scrambled cell phone out of his luggage and hide it. He didn't really expect to get jumped tonight, if his description had been passed around it would only be curiosity at this point and they would want to see what he would do. They wouldn't want to grab him and take him to anyone important because that would be dangerous for them. No, at this stage they would wait for him to make the moves and he was more than happy to oblige.

Second thing to do was take a hit. He was careful in his dosage, this might be stronger stuff than he was used to – and it was. He could feel it immediately when the nectar hit his vein. Christ but it felt good! He felt the tension that had built over the last couple of hours dissolve out of his shoulders, he felt like wax next to a flame. It was just what he needed. He could stop overturning every little detail that he already knew and get some proper sleep. Jack packed up his syringe with a relaxed smile on his face and headed for the shower. He would rest easy tonight.


	3. Cum Tacent Clamant III

**Chapter III**

Jack woke at sunrise and allowed himself a few moments to lie and plan the day in his head. He had to call Tony in a couple of hours and of course, Fernando should be coming by with the gun. Whether he actually would or not remained to be seen, Jack thought the money would make it a sure thing but the guy was a junkie and therefore, not to be trusted. Nothing he could do about that now though, he would just have to wait and see. He really didn't want to have to go back to the slums and search out someone else, he might not get as lucky this time around. After that, he should probably go and get a car. It might not be necessary and when he got into the Salazar's he might not be able to keep it, but for the time being it would be helpful. His budget from CTU had included funds for transportation, more than necessary actually – probably insisted on by Tony who seemed to have a bee in his bonnet about whether Jack would have a means of escape. Whatever, he would take as much as they offered him. He didn't want to screw this up by having to make extra calls for more money. He knew he'd need a lot at the outset of this, cash greased the way and he might have to pay a lot of people to get information on the cartel.

He ran through it all quickly, then got up and dressed in his running clothes. He'd been training a lot harder recently, building on both stamina and speed. Jack always worked out a lot but when you were going undercover, you needed to be more in shape than usual. It was another of those precautions you took, because you never knew if outrunning someone would save your life. Of course, you couldn't outrun a bullet but if one had your name on it there was nothing you could do about it anyway. He'd always been laconic about that particular aspect of his job.

He stepped out into the morning sunshine and was pleasantly surprised to find that it wasn't too hot and the streets weren't crowded yet. He pulled up the street map in his head, sketched out an approximate five-mile loop and set off at a medium pace. It was a good opportunity for him to check out the neighbourhood a little more, as well as providing him with exercise and deepening his tan. Not that he was vain, but the darker his skin looked, the more he would fit in with those around him. Having whiter skin would make him stand out in the sights of a trigger-happy sniper, and he didn't want that. Too much too do first.

He arrived back at the hotel in 35 minutes, having stepped up the pace rapidly. Pulse and respiratory rate good. Everything on target. He took a shower, dressed in jeans and a black beater, grabbed his shades and headed out for breakfast. He remembered to take the cigarettes with him too, Bauer didn't much like smoking but Michaels would, so they were necessary. He smirked at the Zippo lighter with the marijuana leaf on it, sometimes he wondered if he took the cover too far. But no, of course he didn't. He did what was necessary.

Breakfast was Huevos Rancheros with chorizo and coffee, eaten outside at a small café. He bought a local newspaper to make sure his Spanish was up to scratch and lingered over his coffee, reading and smoking a couple of cigarettes. He scanned the street from behind his dark shades every minute or so, checking for signs of anything unusual – anyone lingering around when they shouldn't be, any faces that he'd already seen since arriving. But there was nothing, either he'd aroused no suspicion so far or he was being watched from further afield. He found it hard to believe that his activities the night before would go unnoticed further up the chain, particularly as he'd spelled out that he was looking for a job, but he thought his assessment the night before must have been correct - they were just waiting for him to come to them. Still, it was strange to think that they would ignore him completely.

He mentally shrugged as he got up from his table. All he could do was keep alert, be careful and make himself visible. Hiding would do no good. He needed to be noticed in the right places. He headed back to his room, it was after 9am now and he should call in. He could have done it earlier as CTU was manned at all times, but he had Tony's schedule memorized and preferred to deal with him whenever possible. The man was a worrier but he knew what to do and didn't flap over coded conversations and the like. Jack couldn't afford to hold anyone's hand down the phone. It had to be done right.

He paid for an extra night at the front desk even though he wasn't sure if he would need it or not. The guy at the desk barely looked at him as he handed over his money and that sparked a small question mark in Jack's head. He hadn't been exactly friendly with him the day before either but he _had_ looked him in the eye as he passed the key over – why was he avoiding it now? _Someone's spoken to him,_ he thought and knew it was true. Or maybe there was someone waiting up in his room for him... he casually asked if there had been any messages while he was out and the man shook his head, while keeping his eyes firmly on the counter in front of them. Jack nodded, thanked him and walked up the stairs, a picture of relaxation. He had to appear normal but his mind was buzzing, every sense was on heightened awareness. The hallways were empty though and he opened his door as a person normally would. There wouldn't be any danger. Even if there was someone waiting for him, they'd want to talk to him first. Things would only get dangerous if they didn't like what he had to say.

His eyes scanned the room – empty. He walked into the bathroom and that was clear too, everything was where it should be. Back in the room, and he pulled the shades down before quietly checking to see whether the hair he'd stuck over the desk drawer had been disturbed. It hadn't, nor had the thin layer of talcum powder he'd placed over the door handle. Old fashioned methods, but effective nonetheless, especially as he didn't have any technical equipment with him. It would have been hard to explain that stuff at customs if he'd been searched. So – no one had been in his room. He quickly checked that the scrambled cell phone was where it should be - it was - and he was confident that the room had not been tampered with.

He turned the television on loud again and started the shower. Tony picked up after two rings.

'Hey it's Jack.' They followed pretty much the same routine as the day before to start off with until Tony asked him whether it had rained last night or not.

'Not really. Just got a bit humid.' _Nothing I couldn't handle, I made the first moves_.

'Well, I hope it stays that way. Don't want the weather to spoil your vacation. Expecting it to get bad?' _What's the outlook?_

'Not really. I'll check the reports tonight, see what its like to the South. I might head down there if that's where the sun will be.' _Got plans for this evening. Will know more then. I'll try and find out if they're in Columbia._ 'Oh and, the people here are really friendly too. I think they're interested in whether I'm having a good time. I'll have to make sure and let them know that I like it here._' I think they're watching me. Going to ask about a job later._

'OK man, well like I said, if you enjoy it that much call me and I'll come down.' _CALL if you need back-up Jack, I mean it._

He laughed. 'Sure thing. But I think I can handle the good times.' He heard Tony sigh and was glad that they'd decided to keep every communication covert from the start. He didn't want to hear about how he should be careful every time he called in and it irritated him that Tony was doing this. He'd never been like it before and it bothered Jack that the man was stressing so much. He briefly wondered what was different about this mission but pushed that out of his mind. No time for second-guessing. He was here now and had to focus.

'Yeah, I expect you can. I'll email you sometime soon, make sure you check your box OK?'

'I will. Later.'

He tossed the phone down again and stretched. So, Tony thought there was going to something to pass on? 'Check your email' meant new information, but they obviously didn't have it yet otherwise he would have to do it today. Couldn't be anything serious. He turned the shower off and settled back to watch TV while waiting for Fernando. He hoped that the guy on the desk would report the visit quickly, it would help him immeasurably tonight if they knew that a drug-dealer had been to his room. In the meantime, he could only hang out. Following the TV was just a bit more Spanish practice and he was glad to find that he hadn't forgotten much, everything was still pretty easy to follow.

He allowed his mind to wander slightly after an hour or so. Inevitably it went to Kim and for a few minutes, he was Bauer again. He felt guilty about leaving her when all he could do was tell her that he had to go away for work. She had no idea that it was a long term undercover mission, he hadn't mentioned that he might be gone for a very long time. It was highly classified of course so he'd stuck to the rules, but at the same time, he wondered if he'd done the right thing. She would find out about it when she started work at CTU anyway – would she be mad that he'd kept stuff from her? He hoped she would understand. She'd grown up a lot since the day of the bomb and she knew him better since she'd looked after him for a while after the heart attack. Maybe she would understand that he was just doing his job and not be mad at him.

Well, there was nothing he could do about it now. He'd just have to hope she understood, he'd apologize when he got back. Jack checked his watch, it was just before eleven. He got up, switched the TV off and sat himself on a rickety chair next to the small table to wait. He wanted to seem alert when the kid arrived, he remembered that he hadn't told him to come alone, or just with his friend that was supposed to be getting the thing. That was a mistake and he spent a moment cursing himself for it. But again, nothing he could do about it now.

It was twenty after eleven when there was a tentative knocking. Jack stood and asked who was there, before moving himself silently to the door.

'Fernando.' He checked the peephole in the door – he seemed to be alone. He was just waiting, not looking to either side as he might if there were someone standing out of sight. Jack opened the door a crack, took in the man's appearance, and let him in silently.

He looked even worse in full daylight. The hair was greasy and unkempt, clothes hung off him. He seemed to be sick too, he was shivering. Jack motioned for him to sit on the chair, keeping his eyes on him as he closed and locked the door. Fernando made no effort to talk, he just put his bag on the table and wrapped his arms around his stomach. Jack wasn't sure what to do. He didn't want to spend time babysitting this guy, he wanted the gun quickly and then for him to leave. He made his voice harsh and said, in Spanish,

'What's wrong with you?'

He whimpered a bit. 'Sick.'

'Well go to a doctor then. You got my gun?'

Fernando looked as though he might cry. 'No doctor. I used my prescription already.' Then he nodded and slowly began to unzip the sports bag, while a light went off in Jack's head. This guy was in withdrawal. It took a second for him to realize what that might mean, but as soon as he did he moved quickly, striding across the room and pushing him away from the bag.

'No offence, but I'm not about to let a junkie in withdrawal show me a gun. Not when you know what I have. Sit there, and don't move.'

Fernando looked at him with dull eyes and Jack was glad that he didn't seem to have the energy to fight back. He opened the bag on the bed and took out three pistols, a Glock, a Beretta and a Sig Sauer. He smiled inwardly, they were all good weapons. They even seemed to be in good condition. He spent a few minutes examining the mechanics, making sure the firing pins weren't worn down and there was no damage to the inner workings. Under normal circumstances, the Glock would be his preference out of the three, but it was in the worst condition, so he picked up the Sig.

'How much?' He was trembling violently now and Jack saw an opportunity.

'Five hundred.' Jack just shook his head and Fernando looked pained. 'That's the price...'He trailed off at the sight of the other man's smirk.

'Fernando, you told your little friends about me last night. They tried to rob me on the way out. And now you show up here and try and screw me over a gun. You think I'm stupid? Do you?' He stood up and glared menacingly and the guy cowered on his seat. 'I'll give you three hundred for it. And you can forget about that extra hundred for bringing it to me too. I would have paid it if it weren't for Ernesto and his little brother thinking they could help themselves to my shit.'

'Come on man... I'm sorry. I'll take four hundred for it…'

'You'll take three hundred and like it.' He raised his voice just a little and Fernando shrank from him.

'OK OK, three hundred. Just hurry up, I gotta go.' _Yeah, straight back to your dealer you sorry fuck._

'Is there ammo in there?' He got a nod and rummaged through the side pockets until he found the boxes. Then he handed over the money and it was snatched out of his hand. Fernando grabbed the other guns and made to leave, when Jack had a thought and stopped him by grabbing his lapels and sitting him back down.

'What? What do you want?' The voice was bordering on desperation and the eyes couldn't keep still.

'I want to know some things.'

'You pay?'

'No. But I will give you a shot. How's that?' Fear and pain turned to hope, and he nodded after only a couple of seconds of thought. 'Who runs the Desperado?'

'Shot first. Please!'

'No. Answer me quickly and I'll get it for you. Tell me about this bar.'

Fernando licked at his lips and tried to control his shaking. Ernesto had told him about this guy and what he wanted, he knew he shouldn't mess with him. 'Alviro runs it. I know what you want – you want a job with the Salazar's. You're crazy!' Jack just smiled at him.

'You'd better tell me what I want to know then. How many people work there?'

'Tonight? I don't know. Not a weekend so…maybe three?'

'And are they expecting me?' He hesitated so Jack got his answer right there, but he'd make the kid talk anyway. He backhanded him across the face. 'Talk to me!'

'Alright! Yes, yes they are expecting you to come.' Jack moved away, it was all he needed to know. Ernesto must have told him the truth last night, this Alviro guy really must work for the cartel. Unless the whole thing was bullshit, but he wouldn't find that out until he got there.

He went through Fernando's pockets carefully until he found a syringe then moved into the bathroom, leaving him on the bed. He was tempted to kick him out with nothing but part of his brain reminded him that he might need him for something useful in the future, so he didn't. He made up half a normal dosage and carried it back out, feeling disgusted at the way the man lunged for it.

'Get on with it and get out. And tell your friend at the desk that I'll be heading out for the bar at about midnight, alright? He can even have a cab waiting for me if he likes.' Jack watched the dark eyes of the other man cloud over and the pupils shrink to pinpricks, and idly wondered if his did that when he shot up. He'd never thought about it before. He lit a cigarette and sat back, watching the man undo his tourniquet. 'OK, leave.'

Fernando rolled down his sleeve and shoved his syringe back in his pocket. He grabbed the bag and headed for the door. As a parting shot he turned back and said 'The Salazar's – they will kill you. They kill everybody.' Then he left, moving quickly so that Jack wouldn't catch up to him if he'd pissed him off. But Jack just sat there, smoking quietly. _Looks like their reputation is well known_. He wasn't worried. He never worried about things that might happen weeks in the future. Planned for them, sure, but they weren't a danger in planning so he wouldn't waste energy by stressing about them. Plenty of time for that when, and if, they happened.

He got up and closed the door. He wouldn't bother about a car this afternoon. The bar was turning into a good lead so he'd wait and see what went down there first. He might have to leave the country soon. The information that had been gathered over the years pointed to the cartel headquarters being in Columbia, so that was where he needed to end up. Mexico was a strong outpost though, which was why he'd come here first - there was no telling where Ramon or Hector might be. But Ramon had been spotted here three weeks ago and that was the information they'd run with, hoping that he might stay around for a while. Jack knew that CTU was keeping their eyes open, hoping to catch a sighting somewhere so they could direct him where to go. This was just the starting point.

He grabbed some gun oil and a few rags out of his pack and sat down to clean his new weapon. Nothing to do but wait.

* * *

He went out again that afternoon, to do a recce of the area around the Desperado. As he'd surmised last night, the Zona Rosa was a very commercial area and tourists packed the streets. Jack spent an hour sitting in a Starbucks across the street from the bar, watching the kind of people that went in an out. They were mostly tourists and there was no sign of the doormen that he'd seen the night before. Either they had only been there for him, or they only worked in the evenings.

He checked routes in and out of the area while pretending to window shop, and constantly checked that he wasn't being followed – again, all clear. With everything laid out in his mind, he headed back to Historico Centro where his hotel was and got some dinner. Then he went back to his room, showered, changed and took a hit before settling back to wait until the evening got old. He made sure that he knew what he was going to do and say, he made sure once again that his cover came to him instantly and without hesitation. He ran over a number of different ways that the evening could play out – the best being that he was asked to go and see someone where he'd probably be tested, the worst being that they killed him for even knowing the Salazar name. He'd settle for somewhere in between those two extremes but planned for the possibility of either of them as well.

He checked his watch at 11:45pm – close enough. He pulled on a bomber jacket over his shirt and black jeans and concealed the gun in his waistband. It was comforting to have it there. He walked to the door and stood for a moment before opening it, took a couple of deep breaths – by the time he passed through the frame, Bauer was simply a figment of his imagination and Michaels took over.

The guy at the desk was the same one from the morning. 'Hey Pedro, you call my cab for me?' His voice was loud and obnoxious as he walked through the lobby and he cackled loudly at the way the man looked at the floor and didn't speak. He walked out to the street and hailed one while sticking a cigarette between his lips and flicking his Zippo loudly. An older woman eyed him as she walked by with her partner and Jack winked at her roguishly, making her blush slightly. Then he hopped into the cab and told the driver to take the direct route to the bar and not try to screw him over.

There was no need for it really, but he was bored. Michaels was a confident man who had never really lost the soldier mentality but Jack knew he couldn't overdo it. He had been an officer and they knew respect, at the same time, he needed to have a level of bitterness because of the way he had left the forces under a cloud. Being a little obnoxious would give the Salazar's a chance to knock him down and that would help them to think that he was under their control – it all worked into the infiltration plan. The beating down part would hurt, but not for too long. And he had to get their attention first.

Thirty minutes later, he stood on the street opposite the Desperado. His eyes flickered around, taking in the scene, nervous energy poured off him. He leaned against a lamppost, lighting another cigarette and watching, in plain view of the front door. There was one guy standing there already and he was openly eyeing Jack. After about five minutes, his friend joined him. Jack took that as his cue, flicked his cigarette onto the road and crossed carefully.

He was stopped at the door. 'ID sir?'

'What, I don't look over eighteen?'

'The management reserves the right to refuse entry to anyone they choose, sir.' The voice was polite, but firm, with only a soft accent to the English. Not what he would expect from a low-level bouncer. Jack didn't break eye contact as he reached for his back pocket and pulled out his phony passport – if he backed down in any way, it would be reported. The dark eyes remained impassive, almost bored, as they moved down to the small booklet. Jack watched as they scanned his name, photo and date of birth, and then the man started to flick through the pages, noting the stamps from the countries that Michaels had visited. Not what you would get if this was a simple ID check. He was impressed despite himself. These guys knew their jobs.

'Have a nice evening sir.' The head jerked him inside but didn't give him his passport back. Jack raised an eyebrow at him but went in anyway, the man followed him, leaving his friend on the door.

The bar wasn't large but it was well kept. Booths spread out to the right and there was a small dance floor between them and the long wooden bar. There was even a tiny stage with a microphone on it, and a few tables with loose chairs around them. The lighting was dim, creating an intimate atmosphere, and the music from the jukebox was low. There were hardly any people inside which Jack found odd – even though it was a weeknight, this was supposed to be a tourist bar and there was no shortage of them around. It should be busier than this…a warning sounded in his head and he was reminded to keep on his guard.

He walked up to the bar and ordered a beer with a JD chaser. The doorman was still behind him and Jack turned to him. 'I need to see Alviro.'

'Yes, he knows this is what you want.'

'Well?'

'Why do you want to see him?'

'I'm sure he knows if you don't.' He got a small smile for that, a smile that seemed to suggest that being sarcastic wouldn't get him very far.

'Mr. Michaels, people do not just walk in here and demand to see the owner. He is a busy man. You can talk to me and I will relay your wishes.'

Jack shook his head. 'No. He owns this place right? Then you can go tell him I want to make a complaint about the service. I'm sure he's interested in keeping his customers happy.'

'But you have never been here before Mr. Michaels. You are not a regular customer and you have no complaint about the service. We do not know you and yet, you arrive at this door. Your friends from last night have told us about you and your exploits. So do not talk to me as though I am stupid.' The voice remained soft but Jack knew that this guy wasn't going to be a pushover.

'If you know about last night, you know _exactly_ why I'm here.'

'Then you know _exactly_ why I cannot just allow you to gain access to Mr. Alviro.'

Jack feigned annoyance but he was rejoicing inside. This had turned out to be a solid lead after all. He pretended to concede the point. 'OK, fair enough. I want a job, that's why I'm here.'

'And what makes you think Mr. Alviro is recruiting?'

He shrugged. 'I was told there were opportunities here.'

'And who you told this?'

Jack leaned on the bar with one arm and pulled his mouth into a lazy smile. Time to play the trump card for this conversation. 'A man named Leon Chavez.' He almost laughed out loud at the reaction of the other man as his eyes widened and he sat upright on his barstool. 'Yes, that's right. Now, go get me Alviro.'

'Wait here please.'

Jack watched him slip behind the bar and through a door into the darkness beyond. He turned back to his beer, running through the details again in his head.

Chavez was a billionaire businessman with interests all over the world. He was a Mexican who had grown up poor and made his money from the drug trade. He had been good friends with the older Salazar brother because he had worked alongside him when they were young men - by his own admission, he and Ramon had once been like brothers. Then he supposedly turned legitimate and began investing in everything from oil to steel to real estate. He had been known in the first Gulf War for manufacturing weapons for the Iraqi's and had been on every American watch list as a potential sponsor of terrorist groups but they had never been able to prove it.

That was, until eight months ago, when the CIA had caught him laundering money for various cells throughout the Middle East. They had wanted to bring him down but the man was slippery. He knew that as long as that was all the Americans had on him, he would be OK. He was right to a certain extent and managed to broker a deal - he was allowed to live unmolested, as long as he passed on certain information to the US. Chavez wasn't stupid, he knew that if he became too much of a thorn in the side of the Americans he would catch a bullet from a sniper one day, so he agreed. He was driven by money anyway, not any particular cause and it was far more important to him that he be allowed to live freely. It was through him that CTU managed to learn of the Salazar's growing connections to terrorist cells and it was him that was providing Jack with his background for this mission. Jack just hoped that the Agency was holding him tight enough on this one - if Chavez decided to spill to his old friend Ramon that Jack never actually worked for him, he'd be dead before that conversation was over. If he kept his mouth shut when they checked though, this part of the mission should be a lock.

'Mr. Michaels.' The doorman was back. 'This way please.'

Jack finished his beer and stood, then knocked back his shot. He was ushered through a door at the side of the bar and it was closed and locked behind them. They went up some stairs and made a right into a small, but plush, office. There was a desk and a small man sat behind it, examining Jack's passport. He was in his sixties easily, with black hair that was graying at the temples and a thick moustache, also streaked with grey. He looked more like someone's grandfather than an employee in a notorious drug cartel – until he looked up that was, and Jack saw that the sharp brown eyes sparkled with intelligence and cunning.

'Search him.'

His arms were pulled up roughly and he was divested of his gun within seconds. Alviro nodded at the chair opposite the desk and Jack took a seat.

'How do you know Leon Chavez?'

'I worked for him in Baghdad for two years.'

'Doing what?'

'Head of his security detail.'

Alviro leaned back and locked his fingers behind his head. 'Really? So, I can assume from that that you used to be in the military?'

'Yes. US Special Forces - Delta Force to be exact. I've been working in the Middle East since I left the Army six years ago.'

'So why are you here in Mexico? And what made you think we would be interested in you Mr. Michaels? It's not as though there is a shortage of men here that need jobs.'

'The men here aren't trained by the US Army. I am. Mr. Chavez once told me that there could be work in this country for someone like me. He even suggested I come out to protect his interests here.'

'And why didn't you?'

Jack shrugged and looked the picture of bored confidence. 'I liked it where I was at the time. But I think there's going to be another war out there soon and I'm not interested in being around when it starts. I thought it was time for a change.'

'Why not just come here and work for Chavez, as he suggested?'

'Because I got bored with driving limousines around and escorting him into meetings. I'm used to more action than that. And I have a feeling there's more money to be made working for the Salazar's.' He watched carefully to see if mentioning the name would bring any reaction. There was a slight tensing of the shoulders but that was all.

'How do you know of them?'

Another shrug. 'I told Mr. Chavez I was leaving to come here. It was he that suggested I look them up. But he couldn't tell me exactly where to find them and he knew I wouldn't need him to anyway. I'm capable of finding them on my own. That's why I'm here.'

Alviro laughed uproariously. 'I like your confidence Mr. Michaels. But you see – you have not found them. You are not talking to either one of the Salazar brothers right now. You are talking to me.'

Jack shrugged again and remained quiet. It seemed to suggest that that was a minor point and he watched as the look on Alviro's face turned from impatience to curiosity. 'You have confidence Mr. Michaels and you do not appeared to be scared. I wonder why that is…' He unlaced his fingers and drummed them on the desk, his eyes never leaving Jack's face. He seemed to be making up his mind about something. 'Are you confident because you are arrogant? Or because you know you have reason to be confident?' Jack didn't answer. He knew these were rhetorical questions. The drumming stopped and the eyes bored into his.

'We will see. Return to your hotel. I will keep your passport for the time being, it will be returned to you at a later date. You understand the checks that must be made I presume.' Jack just nodded. 'We will be in touch. Do not leave the city until you have heard from us.'

Jack stood and turned to leave. He stopped when Alviro spoke again. 'Good luck Mr. Michaels. I will be very interested to see whether your confidence is misplaced or not. I think we will find out.'

Jack looked back and smiled with half of his mouth. 'I don't think you'll be disappointed.' He walked over to the man who had taken his gun and quietly held out his hand. Alviro nodded at him and the gun was returned silently. He left without looking back.

Out on the street he decided to walk a little before getting a cab. Adrenaline was flowing through him and it was hard to keep the grin off his face. It couldn't really have gone much better. He had known that Chavez would be his lead into the cartel, there was no way that anyone connected with the Salazar's would be able to resist the name, it was too powerful and held too many connections to the family.

Of course, this was where life got interesting. There was no way they would simply check his credentials and then turn up at his hotel and take him to the cartel HQ. No – this was where he got tested for the first time. The need to grin died as he began running through scenarios in his head. He didn't know when the attack would happen, probably not tonight, but it wouldn't be too long either. And it was bound to be painful…he stopped that thought in its tracks. So what? It was always painful. He'd deal with it when it happened. He stopped walking and moved to the curb to get a taxi. He needed to get back and start thinking. This was where things got dangerous.


	4. Cum Tacent Clamant IV

**Chapter IV**

He didn't expect to get disturbed that night and he wasn't. He disabled the lights in the hallway anyway, just in case and made sure the door was bolted and blocked by the small table. The gun rested on the night stand next to his head, as it always did when he was working. It wasn't that he thought a table or bolts would stop people from entering, he just needed things that would make enough noise to wake him up. Then he'd be ready and waiting with his gun. It was an advantage being on the first floor too, it meant the only way in was through the door and they wouldn't be able to get many through at a time. He could easily shoot them down.

He wondered whether killing the people that would come for him was a good idea but decided that they would certainly be trying to kill him, so he would probably have to. If it was a proper test, they would want to see what he could do when the odds were against him and he needed to build a reputation for ruthlessness. In a way, it was good that he had the opportunity to start this way. There was an outside chance that if he was brutal enough from the outset, they wouldn't push him again. It was a slim hope, he knew, and he didn't waste time by thinking about it for long. He finally decided that he wouldn't kill if he didn't have to but he wouldn't rule it out. He was prepared to do whatever he had to.

The day passed quietly. He spoke to Tony in their usual manner and let him know that he'd made the first moves and that they would be coming for him. He was pretty sure it would be the next day, or the day after that. They would be checking his background in the meantime and he mentioned that, so that Tony knew to make sure that Chavez was ready to corroborate his claims, and that his phony Army records were in place. There was really nothing else he could do in the meantime. He was cautious about going outside because logic told him that that was when he was vulnerable – if they had a chance, they would grab him on the street. There would be little he could do if that happened – he couldn't pull a gun and start blasting in broad daylight because that would draw attention and the Salazar's wouldn't like that. Of course, if he stayed in his room they might think him a coward but he knew he could explain that away as caution. They wouldn't want a cavalier working for them, not in a position of trust anyway. He had to prove that he could take responsibility and do the job right and that started right here, at the outset. If they had any doubts about him at all, it would be over before he got in.

It was on the third night that Jack was awakened by a muffled thump from out in the hallway. He was instantly awake and on the alert and as he grabbed his gun from the cabinet he took a second to be thankful that he hadn't taken any drugs since the morning. There was another small bump on the wall just outside his room and he moved silently to the wall beside the door, positioning himself so that he'd be behind it when it swung open. Then he waited, concentrating on keeping his breathing even and steady so that the adrenaline that was already pumping wouldn't overwhelm him.

They burst through the door, the table in front of it skittering away across the floor. Jack caught the door and pushed it back with force against the shape coming through. It knocked the man off balance and Jack moved quickly into the open, shooting him in the shoulder, then whipping the hand with the pistol in it into the face of the guy behind, shattering his nose and knocking him out. Blood sprayed across the door and he felt warm flecks hitting his skin but he ignored it as he retreated into the darkness of the bathroom doorway.

Shadows moved behind the two fallen figures and Jack tried to see how many there were – not looking directly into the darkness because that would make it harder, but using his peripheral vision, the sight on the edge of his normal eye line. Another shape emerged into the room and Jack aimed low, hitting him in the thigh and watching him collapse on top of the unconscious man on the floor.

Time to end this. He raised his voice so that he would be heard and said clearly, in Spanish,

'Next person through the door gets it in the head. Do _not_ attempt to enter the room.'

He heard a whispered conversation take place and mentally rolled his eyes. These guys were amateurs.

'Senor Michaels? You are to come with us.' The voice sounded scared and unsure and Jack wondered how people like that ever got into this kind of work.

'Throw your weapons into the room. Then lock your fingers behind your head and step inside – _slowly_.' As soon as he finished speaking, Jack crouched down in case they decided to ignore his instructions and try and aim for the sound of his voice. But a few seconds later there came the noise of two guns being thrown onto the floor and he made out the shapes of two men stepping slowly over the groaning bodies on the floor.

'Stop.' They did. He moved quickly, standing and flicking the light on, watching them blink in the sudden brightness. They were both in their mid-twenties, but not large men and the other three looked to be of similar builds. 'Move over to the bed and sit on it.' He didn't let his gun leave them for a second as he closed the door, and then kicked the guns on the floor out of reach of the people down there already. 'What do you want?'

They looked at each other nervously. 'We were sent to come and get you. Mr. Alviro wants to see you.'

'He wants to see me so he sent five guys with guns?' They just looked at the floor. Jack paused, his mind working overtime. This didn't make any sense. If Alviro wanted to see him, that meant that his background had checked out, otherwise they'd just try and kill him. But why send such inept men? If they believed his cover, then they knew what he was capable of. It didn't add up.

Maybe they just wanted to see what he would do, and these guys were expendable. Or maybe they were creating a false sense of security. It was always possible that these men were simply here to escort him somewhere and they didn't expect him to fight back...but they must have known that he would. They couldn't be that naïve.

He jerked his head at the guy who had spoken before. 'Where are you supposed to be taking me?'

The guy hesitated. 'I'm not allowed to tell you that.'

'Are there more of you coming for me?' He got a shake of the head. Jack considered his options and an idea came to him. 'I'm going to give you my phone. You're going to dial Alviro and let me talk to him.'

The guy shook his head again. 'I have a phone you can use.'

Jack glared at him then pointed his gun at one of the injured guys on the floor and shot him through the shoulder. Then he aimed up again and said 'Next one is yours and it will kill you.' He tossed his phone down next to the guy. 'Dial him.'

His hands were shaking as he pushed the buttons and his eyes were wide as he handed the ringing phone up to Jack. 'Hands back behind your head.' He obliged and Jack took the phone. It was answered with a sharp 'Yes?'

'Alviro?'

'Who is this?'

'This is Jack Michaels.' There was a barely concealed intake of breath on the other end of the line. 'I have your men here – they're not very good are they?'

There was silence for a moment and Jack could almost see the man thinking about which way to play it. 'Well well…I had thought you would be on your way to us by now Mr. Michaels. After all, you were the one who came to _me_.'

'Yes that's true. And I would have met you wherever you wanted. I just don't like being woken up in the middle of the night by five armed kids. Somebody could get killed like that.'

'Are they alive?'

'Yes. A couple have a few minor injuries but they'll live. I'm going to leave four of them here. One of the healthy ones can drive me over to you and you can pick the others up whenever you like. Do they know where you are?'

'Yes, they know where to bring you.'

'OK then, I'll see you in a while.' He hung up and put the phone down, then motioned to the two on the bed. 'You two – take your belts off and tie those three up.' He kept his eyes on them while they followed his instructions, following their every moment with his gun. Once they had secured the three, Jack walked behind one of the uninjured men and hit him across the back of the head with the butt of his pistol. He collapsed instantly and the other one – the one who had spoken already – cringed at the sight.

'Tie him up. Then lie face down on the floor, arms out and turn your palms upwards.' It was the most submissive posture there was and there was no way to move quickly out of it. Jack would be able to shoot him before he got off the floor and the man knew it. He obliged carefully, not wanting to piss this gringo off any further. When he was down on the floor, Jack pulled some jeans on over his shorts and threw on a sweater and jacket. His bag had been packed since the night at the bar and he wondered whether to take it with him, the chances were that he wouldn't be coming back here. The scrambled cell was in there, hidden away, but they would be sure to search his stuff and he didn't want it found. He decided to take it with him. His stash was in there too, he didn't want to leave it behind.

'Get up slowly.' The man did. 'What's your name?'

'Alejandro.'

'OK, walk in front of me. Don't make any sudden movements. We're going to go down to your vehicle and you're going to drive me to Alviro. Don't try anything brave – if you do I will shoot you in the head, do you understand me?' He nodded. 'OK, move.'

They walked carefully down the stairs, Jack walking closely enough behind Alejandro to let him know that his gun was pointing at his back. The young man didn't say anything, he just followed instructions. They left the hotel and walked a block to where a van was parked illegally on the sidewalk. Jack smirked when he saw it. One thing you did not do when abducting a person was park illegally. A ticket meant that your van was in the system – it was just another indication that someone wasn't training these people properly and he wondered why the Salazar's put up with it. He was glad it was a van though, he had a chance to do something he couldn't do in the room.

'Get in the back and lie down like before.'

'I thought you wanted me to…'

He hit the man across the mouth, not too hard but enough to split his lip and make it bleed. 'Shut up! Get in there and lie down.' Alejandro wiped at the blood, smearing it across his chin. He slid open the side door and got in without another word. Jack followed him, closed the door and sat on the wheel arch behind where he lay so that the kid couldn't see what he was doing. Then he pulled out his phone and found the 'dialed numbers' list. Alviro's number was there and he forwarded it to Tony with a short coded message telling him to trace it and work up the name. He was going in.

That done, he wiped Tony's number from the phone and then tapped Alejandro on the side, told him to get into the driver's seat and go. A few minutes later they were on the move, the streets still busy but not blocked. Jack allowed himself to relax just a little, while scanning the streets for anything unusual and checking for tails. He didn't bother trying to talk to the man driving, he was obviously a low-level skivvy only entrusted with grunt work.

They drove for about forty minutes, heading south, and Jack compared their route to the map in his head. He had been lucky really, if they'd succeeded in grabbing him on their own terms he probably would have been blindfolded on this trip. As it was, he mentally traced the route and made sure he remembered it so he could pass the information on to Tony during their next conversation.

They were in an industrial part of the city and the traffic was almost gone now, warehouses and factories lined the streets. It was next to one of the warehouses that they stopped and Jack immediately pushed the gun into Alejandro's ribs.

'Is this it?'

'Si. We are here.'

Jack looked out of the windows carefully. There didn't seem to be anyone around. 'Where is everyone then?'

'They will be inside. We were supposed to bring you in.'

_But Alviro knows that I've got you kid. Why aren't they out here waiting for me?_ 'OK, puts your hands on the top of the steering wheel. Keep them there and don't move.' He got out of the van and walked around to the driver's side, keeping his gun trained on the man through the windshield. He pulled the door open and motioned with the gun. 'Get out, slowly.'

It remained quiet as they started walking towards the warehouse, Jack using Alejandro as a shield from any threat from the front. He scanned the area and there was no one around. It was confusing until he realized what was happening. _They're watching me. They want to see what I'm gonna do. They wanna know if I've got the balls to walk right up to them and turn myself over to them._ Realizing this helped him focus and his mind was calm as he walked right up to the large metal doors on one side of the building. He banged on them with his hand.

'Alviro? If you want your man back you'd better open up.' He heard footsteps on the other side of the door and a familiar voice came through.

'That man is obviously no use to me Senor Michaels. He did not to what he was supposed to do. Kill him and then throw your weapon away.' The voice was calm, even slightly amused. It seemed to be enjoying this.

Jack turned to Alejandro, whose eyes were wild and frightened and fear showed plainly on his face. Jack's mind was clear. 'Sorry kid.' He raised the gun and shot him twice in the heart without a second thought. Then he made the weapon safe and tossed it on to the ground, hard so that the noise could be clearly heard on the other side of the door.

Alviro heard the shots and the soft thump of the body as it crumpled to the ground. It was followed by a metallic clatter as the Americano followed his instructions. He smiled to himself. He was going to enjoy this. He hit the green button that opened the door and watched as five bulky men ducked underneath it as it rose and grabbed the man on the other side.

Jack held up his arms and allowed himself to be roughly pulled inside the warehouse. His bag was pulled off his shoulder and his hands were secured behind his back. Alviro was smirking in front of him but he ignored him and took in his surroundings instead. The warehouse was large and mostly empty, although some large crates were stacked at the far end. The corners were dark but the centre was lit up by halogen lights – Jack thought he knew why and he began to mentally prepare himself.

'You have done well so far Senor Michaels. It is time to see whether you have what it takes to be part of our organization. Come. We will talk.'

Jack was propelled forward by strong arms that didn't give him a choice about where he wanted to go. He didn't fight them, this was necessary. He kept part of his mind focused on Alviro, readying himself for whatever the man asked him – the rest of his brain concentrated on keeping cool and getting ready for what would follow the talking. He knew it was coming, violence hung in the air like a cloud and he was under no illusions that he was about to experience a lot of pain. He refused to let himself dwell on it though – thinking about it in advance would make it ten times worse.

Two chairs were brought into the bright light in the centre of the warehouse and Jack was pushed roughly onto one. Two large men stood behind him and Alviro sat opposite him. He smiled gently, as though this were a polite conversation over brandy and cigars.

'So Mr. Michaels. We have looked into your background. Tell me again why you decided to come looking for employment with us.'

'I told you already.' Alviro nodded at one of the guards and Jack had a split-second to tense his jaw before a large fist came crashing down on it. Blood flew from his mouth onto the floor and a shockwave of pain spread through his face, causing his vision to blur for a moment. He kept his head down and blinked rapidly to try and clear his sight. Alviro waited until he looked up again.

'Do not be rude Mr. Michaels, you will only cause yourself more pain. I know what you told me at my bar. Tell me again.'

Jack sighed and feigned boredom. 'I worked for Leon Chavez. I came here following a suggestion by him.'

'And how does Mr. Chavez know of our business?'

Dangerous. He had to be careful here – Chavez wouldn't have given any details. 'He never said anything directly but then, he knew he didn't need to. He trusted me. I just assumed that he knew the family.'

Alviro looked thoughtful for a moment. 'And what is it you think the Salazar's do?'

Jack shrugged at him and said in a flat voice 'Drugs.' He tensed again as there was another nod and fists rained down on his face. Every time they connected there was a dull thudding that sent pain running deep in the nerves underneath his teeth and up his jaw line. It caused his ears to scream in pain and he had a hard time keeping his jaw clenched but it was imperative that he did – if he didn't it would be dislocated or broken. He squeezed his eyes shut as his eyeballs rattled in his skull and tried to keep his balance on the chair, which wasn't easy as his hands were still tied behind his back. Eventually a blow caught him across the nose and it broke, making blood pour down his front and an agonized yell rip from his throat. The world swam and he fell to the floor, desperately trying to curl his body to protect it from the boots that were now slamming into his ribs and back.

'Enough. Pick him up.'

He was dumped unceremoniously back onto the seat, slumped over in pain. He performed a mental check on himself as he spat blood onto the ground – no cracked ribs yet because it didn't hurt to breathe, a broken nose, at least one broken tooth... nothing serious as yet. He straightened and eyed the man sitting calmly opposite him.

'You scared to untie me and let me have a fair shot at these goons?' Alviro smiled condescendingly at him, as though he were a child.

'Your record tells me that you are a talented man. I wont put my valuable people in harms way unnecessarily. Besides, you came to us so you do not get to choose whether you are allowed to fight back or not. Now…for how long did you work for Mr. Chavez?'

'I told you this already.' The fist managed to hit him straight on the broken tooth and for a moment, pure agony took his breath away, rendering him unable to speak. Alviro noticed the reaction with interest. 'Two years. I worked for him for two years.'

'And when did you stop working for him?'

'It says in my passport when I left Iraq doesn't it?' Goading them wasn't smart but this was starting to piss him off. The next punch was hard enough to make him pull a muscle in his neck as his head whipped to one side. _Shit, that's gonna hurt to sleep on_. 'Three weeks ago. I flew from Baghdad to London. Spent a few days there and then flew into Los Angeles. I came here on Monday.'

Somewhere in the background, Jack thought he heard voices. He didn't bother to look around, he knew he wouldn't be able to see anything past the lights. Alviro looked up though and stared into the darkness behind him, making Jack wonder what was going on. The man got up from his chair and walked past one of the men standing next to him, whispering something as he went. The guy nodded and disappeared leaving Jack with just one guard. His mind started to work fast – would it be more or less helpful to him to put up a fight right now? He decided…

…_more_. The single guard walked in front of him and squared up to hit him again. As he pulled his arm back, Jack threw himself sideways off his chair and lashed out with his boot, landing a full-force kick straight onto the man's weight-bearing leg. It was a rising kick that caught him under the kneecap and as the guy crumpled, his knee was dislocated and then shattered under the force of Jack's steel toecap. He went down with a resounding scream and Jack rolled on the floor, pushing himself onto his knees and then up onto his feet. He had enough time to stand over the writhing figure and stamp down hard on an ankle - breaking it - before he was rushed by three other men and pinned to the ground. He found himself laughing hard, a laugh that turned to a groan as a shoe landed in his groin and forced him to curl up. Blows rained down on his body and all he could do was try and protect his face as best he could.

'Enough!' The men backed off, leaving Jack in the foetal position on the floor. He rolled over and Alviro appeared in his line of sight. 'Why are doing this Mr. Michaels? Do you think it is helping you?'

Jack spat blood. 'I don't appreciate being used for a punching bag. I came here looking for work and judging by the performance of your guys so far, you need me. Chavez will vouch for my usefulness, so why are you treating me like a bitch?'

Alviro smiled slowly. 'Ahhh well, there's the problem you see. I have spoken to Mr. Chavez. He says he does not know a Jack Michaels…'

_Fuck fuck fuck...!_

'…and that he never employed you. So you see, it now becomes necessary for us to find out who you really are.' He jerked his head at some unseen people and Jack was glad that he was dragged off the floor just then, in case someone noticed the confusion on his face. What the fuck had gone wrong? How the hell had his cover been blown so quickly? His mind was a swirling mass of confusion and anger. _Shit_! Oh well, now it came down to how long he could hold out. If he was lucky, they'd get bored before he reached his limit and he wouldn't tell them anything.

He knew it wasn't likely.

He was dumped back into the chair and his head was pulled back over the edge of it so that he was staring at the ceiling. Thick ropes were pulled across his throat to keep his head in position and his bound hands were untied, then re-secured to the sides of the chair. There was a loud clanging thump as something heavy and metallic hit the floor next to them. Jack couldn't place the noise until there was another bang – it was the sound of a toolbox being opened. The top had been opened and dropped to one side and he could hear someone rummaging around inside it. Despite himself and his attempts to block out what might happen, he started to sweat slightly and he fought a rising wave of fearful anticipation.

Alviro appeared, standing over him. He grinned and reached a hand down to Jack's jaw. His fingers massaged along it until he noticed a slight cringing, and his grin widened. 'Yes, I thought so.' He pressed down suddenly on the broken tooth and Jack grunted slightly in surprise. It felt like a current of electricity running through his face and it hurt like a sonofabitch. Another face appeared, then a hand – holding a pair of pliers. Jack clamped his mouth shut and tried to control his breathing.

'Now Mr. Michaels – what are you doing here? Why are you interested in the Salazar's?

_Breathe. In…out…that's it…steady…_

'You will need to talk to us and I assure you, keeping your mouth closed will not help with that…'

_You fucker. I talk and you get those things in my mouth. I don't talk, and you force it open anyway…_

…_breathe._

'Why would you tell us you worked for Mr. Chavez when you didn't…? You are American…is it possible that you work for the Government?'

_In…out…in…out…_

Alviro was obviously bored. He nodded to the man next to him and Jack grunted as a heavy punch landed on the side of his face. He had to unclench his teeth to let out a gasp and the second he did, a wooden bar was forced into one side of his mouth, leaving him unable to bring his teeth together but giving free access to the side where the most pain was.

'Now…talk to us.'

Jack tried to speak around the bar. 'Fuck you. I worked for Chavez. I'm just here looking for a job…'

The pliers were forced into his mouth and they gripped the broken tooth at the back of his jaw. Jack tightened his muscles and tried to prepare but nothing could help him as the tool was squeezed and then yanked, exposing raw nerve. He screamed as air hit the hole, tears ran down the sides of his head as the man pulled one way and then the other. He heard the root of the tooth grating in the base of his jaw and unbearable pain ripped through his head, making his body spasm and jerk.

The pliers were removed and he sagged, feeling every racing heartbeat throb through his mouth. The agony was unreal and he couldn't think of anything except how much it hurt. Eventually he noticed a hand tapping at his head. 'Stay with us Senor. Now…what are you really doing here?'

He could hardly breathe but he mustered his strength. 'Fuck you…' It was a whisper but they got the message. A second later, Jack felt a needle sliding between his teeth and he tightened again, as the point dug into the broken ruins of the tooth. It burrowed into the flesh and straight into the nerve – Jack nearly choked himself on the restrains around his neck as his body flew upwards, completely rigid. Scream after scream ripped from his throat and his world became nothing but white hot pain, he was conscious only of the movement in his face and the complete, overwhelming, unbearable agony. Screaming was the only way to let it out, his legs thrashed feebly against the floor and the rest of him was restrained which helped to keep the pain inside. There was nothing he could do, he was utterly helpless.

_Keep it in, put it in a box, lock it away…_

'_Talk_ to me Senor…'

_Rise above it, take your mind somewhere else…_

'It doesn't have to be like this…you just need to tell me what I want to know…'

Jack couldn't have talked if he tried. The needle was pulled out and he slumped again, he fought against the restrains around his wrists. He needed to grab at his broken mouth, he desperately needed to do _something_ to release the pain but he couldn't…he could only groan and writhe as his mind searched for something, anything, just _one thing_ that he could hang onto to remind himself of why he was enduring this. Nothing was working, his mind wouldn't focus. Until Alviro leaned over with a grin on his face…and Jack's resolve hardened. This little bastard wouldn't break him. He could go to hell.

'That hurts doesn't it? You see what I have here?' He held up a hand and Jack recognized his own syringe. They had found his stash. 'Yes…you have a weakness, don't you Senor? You like the drugs…well, just tell me what I want to know and all the pain will go away. You wont feel a thing…'

Jack offered a silent prayer of thanks that he wasn't addicted to that shit. It was a nice thought, he had to admit…but no, he would not let them beat him. Especially not with that stuff.

'I just want a job. Just a job, that's all…' The grin disappeared and suddenly the pliers were back, digging and tugging and Jack could hardly bear it. Once more he thrashed and screamed, his eyes open and wide this time as he stared up into the lights above. Being able to see while this happened somehow helped, it let some of the pain out in to the world around him. He screamed as loud as the rope around his neck would allow, he could feel it burning into his skin, choking him, and his vision started to blur because oh fuck, this hurt so bad and he couldn't take it and…shit, the grating was back, bone on bone, deep in his jaw, something was ripping and crunching and…oh fuck…he felt blood pouring out of his mouth and down his chin as the man pulled back and the stump of his tooth was ripped from its home. He almost choked on the blood that ran down his throat and was thankful that the rope around his neck was loosened and he could lean forward and puke blood out onto the floor in front of him…

He was given a moment and Alviro waved the heroin in front of him as he struggled to stay conscious. His head was a seething mass of agony, every breath was a struggle and he couldn't get enough air, he felt like he was drowning. His heart hammered in his chest as he fought, great heaving sobs wracked him as he tried to breathe and swallow and spit and puke all at the same time. It took a few minutes but he eventually managed to gain some kind of control – the moment he did he was grabbed by the hair and his head was forced backwards, the bar was back in his mouth and ice cold water was poured straight onto the gaping hole where his tooth used to be. The agony of the cold on the raw nerve was unbearable and he screamed at the initial contact but that wasn't the worst, the worst was afterwards when every heartbeat send new waves of pain through him, each one more powerful than the last. They swelled up and covered him and he fought to stay on top of them but he was drowning and they just kept getting worse…even when the water stopped and he was allowed to slump forwards, the pain just kept building and eventually, thankfully, he lost consciousness and slipped away to a place where it didn't hurt anymore…

Alviro sighed and stood up. He told the men standing around to untie Jack and lie him on the floor. They were not to let him move when he woke up. He walked over to a group of men in a dark corner and motioned to one of them to hand him the phone that he held. There was someone on the other end of the line, waiting patiently.

'He is unconscious. Yes…yes I told him that Chavez did not corroborate his story….no, it did not alter. I think he is telling the truth Ramon. He would have broken.'

The men standing around looked over to the small figure out cold on the floor. It sounded like they would have a new colleague, and a tough one at that.

'Yes Ramon…I will bring him to you. We will see you tomorrow.' Alviro hung up and tossed the phone back to one of the men. 'Put him in the van and take him to the house.' He looked over at Jack who was just starting to stir. 'And one of you call a dentist…'


	5. Cum Tacent, Clamant V

**Chapter V**

Jack woke up in a world of pain. He was being dragged across the floor and all he could see was blood dripping to the ground below him as he moved. He felt like his head had been run over by a truck and there was no way of escaping the agony, it was intense and immediate, right there in his head where he couldn't get away from it. He couldn't stop a groan escaping his lips as the two men pulling him jolted him along. As soon as they realized he was properly awake, they put him down and watched impassively as he immediately gripped his jaw in both hands and tried to squeeze the agony away.

He tried to get control of himself as he lay there but it was hard to focus. He hadn't expected anything like this, he had thought it would just be a regular beating. And why hadn't they killed him? Something wasn't right. He tried to pull together a plan to talk himself out of this mess and made a mental note that if he made it out of this alive, he was going to pay Leon Chavez a visit and rip _three_ of his teeth out as payback. And then kill him.

He became aware of another man standing over him and opened his eyes long enough to recognize Alviro. Jack was pissed off and as he figured they were going to kill him anyway, he didn't waste any energy on being polite 'What are you staring at?'

To his surprise, Alviro just smiled and not one of his sarcastic ones either. 'You did very well Senor Michaels. I think you may turn out to be an asset to us. Leon told me you would be.'

Jack frowned, and then winced. Moving any muscle in his face hurt like a sonofabitch right now. 'What?'

'Here. This will help.' He handed Jack's syringe to one of the men, who kneeled down and grabbed his arm. He had to forcibly pull it away from where it was clutched to the jaw but Jack relented when he understood what was going on. God yes! A shot would be perfect…he sighed as the heroin entered his system, and let his other arm drop as the pain faded away. Thank God for that… now he could think.

So what was going on? They were offering him a job…the light dawned and relief flooded him. They'd been playing him, seeing whether he'd hold up under torture. It was a damn good thing he had a high pain threshold and was stubborn. He dragged himself slowly to his feet, feeling his body ache where he'd been hit, even through the drugged haze. Alviro offered his hand to shake and Jack took it, knowing that it would be frowned upon if he didn't. What he really wanted to do was rip the damn arm off and hand it back to him but he kept his cool and tried to smile.

'We're taking you to a dentist now. Any damage will be fixed.' His voice was unapologetic. 'Then you will be taken to a house where you will find out more.'

Jack nodded and followed slowly as they left the warehouse. The sun was rising in the sky outside, painting a soft glow on the horizon. He was struck by the sudden notion that there were over 20 million people waking up in this city about now – how many of them had spent the night getting teeth ripped out of their head? It almost made him laugh, except it wasn't funny at all.

He got into a waiting van and laid his head carefully on the seat back. Two other men joined him and started the engine. Jack looked over and asked 'Where's Alviro going?' but he got no reply. He guessed they would meet up with him later on and for the moment, was just thankful that the heroin was working and not letting him feel much. Hopefully he'd be able to keep using until the damage was repaired somewhat.

They drove for almost an hour, all in silence. Jack floated in and out of sleep, his body trying desperately to let him catch up on the hours of rest he'd missed, and to start the healing process. Jack struggled against it, trying to remember routes and directions to keep himself awake. But it was no use, in the end he simply drifted off too deeply to be able to rouse himself. He knew that the location of a dentist wasn't important but at the same time, habit told him he should be alert at all times. There was nothing he could do though and it was the clanging of the side door sliding open that awakened him.

He left the van bent almost double, his muscles stiffening. He didn't like to think what he'd be like if he hadn't taken the shot. One of the men reached for him and helped him to straighten up, not unkindly – this guy was a work mate now. They walked into the surgery where there were a few people waiting but as soon as one of the men talked to the receptionist, Jack was ushered through into a small lab where he collapsed gratefully into the chair.

The dentist was pretty old and his face belied his shock at Jack's appearance. He didn't ask questions though and quickly went to work. There were remnants of tooth still stuck in his gum and they had to be dug out. It was almost as bad as the torture itself – Jack realized at the last minute that he couldn't accept the Novocain, it might cause him to overdose. He cursed slightly but the heroin helped a little. Still, a scalpel digging into an already raw nerve was going to be painful no matter how high he was and he resigned himself to it quickly. Better to get it over with. At least the man knew his job and took care of it as quickly as he could. He handed over a prescription at the end, antibiotics would be necessary to prevent infection. One of the silent men took it and Jack knew it would never be filled out. They wouldn't want his name anywhere in the system.

He was ushered back to the van carefully and they set off again. Jack forced himself to stay awake this time by prodding himself in the jaw any time he felt like he was about to drift off. If they were taking him to a house as Alviro had said, he would need to remember where it was so he could pass the info along to Tony. It took about three hours – they left the city behind and drove deeper into the countryside in a southerly direction. Towns got further and further apart and landmarks were harder to come across as signs that Jack could use to identify the route. Still, his research of the country had been extensive when he was preparing for this mission and he was able to hazard a fairly good guess as to where they were going.

Eventually they reached a village and the van passed through it, but stopped at a large farmhouse on the outskirts. It was white and pretty, with trees framing the gravel driveway and a well-tended garden in the front. Someone had gone to a lot of effort to make sure the ground was irrigated and lush green grass stood out against the dust and dirt patches around the other houses they'd seen. There were two other vans and an exceptionally expensive Mercedes parked in front.

'Come on.' Jack was pulled out of his examination of the house by the soft voice of Carlos, one of the men who'd accompanied him. The other was Frederico and he was busy taking a few bags from the back, one of which belonged to Jack. They had hardly spoken at all during the trip, he had only managed to get their names from them and the fact that they were brothers and had been working for the Salazar's since they were both about fourteen. Carlos was the younger of the two, and was tall and bulky with large muscles – his eyes were soft though and Jack guessed that he didn't really enjoy the sort of things he was asked to do. Frederico was built smaller. He seemed more aloof and not as open to Jack's small talk, he spoke only when spoken to and his answers were clipped and obtuse.

They walked up to the door and rang the doorbell, Jack heard a deep chime somewhere in the depths of the building and almost instantly, another man opened the door and they were ushered inside. Frederico dropped the bags he was carrying but then picked up Jack's and handed it to him. 'You need to clean up.' He jerked his head at Carlos. 'He will show you the way.' Then he left, probably to report to someone that they had arrived.

Carlos smiled gently. 'This way Jack.' He led him up the wide staircase, which was uncarpeted like the rest of the floors in few. The rail was well polished and beautiful, in fact, the wood shone everywhere – paneling on the walls, the gleaming floors that were sometimes covered in thick, expensive rugs – this looked to be the home of someone wealthy, who enjoyed the good life. But it wasn't. Jack looked into the rooms when they passed open doors – everything was made to look as though it was a regular house but there were no personal touches. No photographs, or magazines or papers, no toys from children or clothes on chairs. It was all a quiet deception – people stayed here, yes, but no one lived here. It was an office and a boarding house.

Carlos opened a door at the end of the hallway. 'You can use this room. There is a bathroom.'

'How long will we be here?'

The man shrugged. 'I don't know. Probably tonight but maybe not. You need to change and clean up.' He indicated a room across the hallway. 'I will be in there. Knock when you are ready and I will take you down.'

Jack nodded and entered the bedroom, which was large and airy. Everything was wooden and all the furnishings were white, from the small sofa to the curtains to the sheets. He dropped his bag on the bed and sat down next to it, glad to be alone for a while.

What now? Everything seemed to be going well. They'd accepted him this far and he was supposedly going to find out more here. Nothing to do but get on with it really. He desperately wanted to lie down and sleep but it wasn't possible, so he put it out of his head and instead rummaged through his bag. He grabbed some clean clothes and at the same time, checked on the scrambled cell phone that was hidden in a small pocket that was sewn into the lining. He figured they hadn't found it otherwise they would have asked him about it already. It didn't contain a tracker – he'd insisted that they left it out in case the Salazar's had anti-bugging equipment and found it. If they did, he wouldn't have been able to explain it away and it was for that reason that he didn't have a tracker in his body either. He really was on his own.

The cell phone was still in place and Jack sighed with relief. Then he grabbed his clothes and wash kit and headed for the shower. He started it up and while he waited for the water to get warm, he took a moment to inspect the damage inflicted on him. Christ, he looked awful. There was still dried blood coating the lower half of his face even though he'd carefully tried to rub if off earlier. His nose and one side of his face were swollen and angry looking, and he'd have two massive black eyes by the morning. There was a cut on his cheek as well, probably from a stray kick and even though it didn't look deep enough to need stitches, he might end up with a scar from it.

He stared at himself for a long minute until the glass started to steam and his image wasn't clear anymore. Then he shrugged and stripped off his blood-soaked clothes, careful not to let anything brush his face. The pain was flaring up, he was going to have to fix again. Just a little one though, he needed his mind clear. But he also needed to be able to think without being clouded by the agony that was threatening to return.

The water stung his skin as he stepped under it and it instantly turned pink as it ran off him. He examined his body and found that his ribs and lower back were horribly bruised and there was still an ache in his groin from where he'd been kicked. _Damn man, you haven't been this rough since the day of the nuke. At least they were a bit more sophisticated about it_… Jack shut his mind off. He always refused to let his mind dwell on torture, it was the sort of thing that could overwhelm a person and as soon as it did and you let yourself get scared of it, your career was over. He concentrated instead on what he was doing here. Alviro said he would 'find out more' – Jack presumed that meant he'd find out what sort of job they'd want him for and as he scrubbed himself clean, he made sure that he didn't think about what that might entail.

* * *

Alviro found himself waiting in a small room next to the main 'living' room. In reality the living room was a large office, their base of operations for Mexico City. Not that anyone would know that to look at it, everything was disguised well in there.

He was nervous. He usually was when he had to meet his boss, which wasn't often because the older Salazar usually stayed in Columbia. Hector was normally the one that came north and even though he was fearsome in his own way, his fear was based in the hair-trigger temper that could unleash at any moment. Ramon had a temper too – it was just somehow all the more frightening because he didn't lose it very often.

He rubbed his hands on his pants, trying to rid them of the dampness. He wasn't normally a man much given to fear but there was something about his employer that always made him edgy. Something about the way he sized you up and you never knew if he was going to hug you or shoot you in the face. It could always be either option.

The door opened and Alviro stood. He was beckoned inside by one of the many nameless people that surrounded the boss at all times. At least this one had put his machine gun down, some of the others carried them even when they were indoors.

'Alviro!' He pasted a smile onto his face, because Ramon was smiling. So, he was in a good mood. That was hopeful.

'Ramon. A pleasure to see you here again.'

He was graced with a handshake and told to sit, which he did instantly. 'So, you have found me a new man. Tell me again about him. Drink?' A glass of tequila was placed in his hand before he could answer.

'Well, he found us really. He worked for Chavez in the Middle East and says he got bored. Leon corroborates the story.'

'And you think he will be useful to us?'

'I do. He is ex-US military. Special Forces even. He can fight and he's already shown us he can take pain. Ruthless too, he killed the boy that brought him to us without a second thought. Injured the others that were sent to get him and shattered the leg of one of the men questioning him. And that last was while his hands were tied and we'd already worked on him for a while. So yes – I think he is tough enough. He is well-trained and in good shape. His Spanish is fluent. I have not seen him with a gun but I would imagine he knows how to shoot.'

Ramon sat on the sofa opposite and seemed to be thinking. He took a long drink and Alviro waited without trying to butt in. 'Sooo…it sounds like he is worth talking to. I hope you are not wrong about him my friend, I would hate to be wasting my time. I had planned on being back in Columbia already.' Alviro froze like a rabbit in headlights. He didn't realize that Ramon had altered his schedule. That meant that Michaels had better be up to scratch, or he'd be punished for holding his boss up.

'I'm sure he will meet will your approval Ramon.' _Please God, let him meet with approval…_ He got a grunt in return and conversation turned to other business.

* * *

Jack pulled on clean clothes and then took a minute to sit and clear his mind. He'd just fixed and felt better for it but he wanted to make sure that every detail of his cover was there in place. It was. He stood and went to get Carlos, who grinned at him and led him down the stairs.

He felt pretty relaxed and he wasn't sure if that was the heroin or just because he'd passed the first test. It was stupid, he knew that he could be called upon to do anything at any moment. But somehow, he couldn't bring himself to worry about it. What would happen, would happen.

Carlos knocked on a door and spoke to a man inside. Jack took the opportunity to look around more carefully. They were in a small room that was empty apart from a couple of armchairs. It sort of reminded him of a waiting room, only more comfortable. He lightly fingered his jaw and wondered if they'd give him any lunch. He was pretty hungry, not having eaten for hours, but he didn't know if he'd be able to chew.

Alviro stepped out and smiled at him. 'How are you feeling Mr. Michaels?'

Jack eyed him. He seemed nervous about something. It couldn't be him, there had been no sign of it before. Had something happened? 'I'm OK. What are we doing here?'

'You wanted a job. We are arranging something.' Jack wondered who 'we' was. 'I will give you some advice Senor. Do not walk into this room and act as you did when you walked into my bar. If you do, you will probably be killed. Come in.'

He barely had time to wonder what _that_ was supposed to mean when he was beckoned inside. Carlos stayed outside with a nervous expression on his face and Jack looked back at him as he walked in, wondering what all the tension was about. The door closed after him and he turned his head, expecting Alviro to be ready to discuss things with him. Instead, he came face to face with the last person he had expected to meet so soon.

Ramon Salazar.

Jack felt a rush of surprise flood his veins and after a moment he realized he was staring. He broke his gaze and studied the floor for a second, his mind racing. Damnit, he should've guessed! Salazar was in Mexico City three weeks ago after all. There was no evidence he'd returned to Columbia – it made sense that he was here. Shit. He hadn't prepared for this. Still, surprise was good. Hopefully the other man would interpret it as fear.

'Senor Michaels, this is Ramon Salazar.' Alviro stood and twisted his hands as he made the introduction. He hoped that Michaels would not be rude, _he_ was the one who would suffer if he was.

Jack raised his head and found himself staring into two pools of liquid blackness. There was nothing in those eyes, no warmth or welcome or laughter. They rested coolly on Jack as though they were pulling him to pieces bit by bit, dissecting him slowly, dead eyes that offered no explanations or apologies. They were used to being obeyed.

_Ramon Incendio Salazar…citizen of Colombia…_

He was walking towards him, a hint of a smile at his lips as he surveyed Jack's injured face.

_Born: Bogotá, August 29th 1959. Son of Emanuel Jesus Salazar, elder brother of Hector Eduardo Salazar…_

His hand was being shaken, the grip was strong but not crushing. It was a handshake that was comfortable in its belief that there would never be a doubt as to who was in charge, it knew it could crush if it had to…

H_eight: 5 feet 10 inches. Weight: 180lbs. Hair: Black. Eyes: Black._

The head turned slightly so he could closely examine the bruising along Jack's jaw. His face held no expression.

_Jailed for three years as a juvenile on the count of manslaughter. Conviction overturned on appeal. Suspected of involvement with at least ten other suspicious disappearances, many others probably not reported. Arrested multiple times for actual bodily harm, assault, battery, grievous bodily harm, intent to supply drugs, tax evasion, money laundering, manslaughter, rape and murder. Charges never brought against him as an adult. Last arrest: October 1991._

He still didn't speak and Jack felt his flesh start to crawl, just a little . He wasn't scared but it had been a long time since he'd met someone who commanded this much attention. He was going to have to be careful here. Salazar was looking over at Alviro and jerked his head towards the small bar in the corner.

_Head of the Salazar Cartel. Estimated worth: 300 million US dollars. Suspected of links with terrorists cells throughout the world and the training and supplying of mercenary soldiers._

'Would you like a drink Mr. Michaels?' He spoke English fluently. That wasn't on file.

'Yes, thank you.'

_Recommended course of action: Infiltrate and gain information on the depth of terrorist links. Arrest and place in custody. Extradite to the US to face charges. _

'I hope you like tequila.'

_Case status: Active_

'I do.'

_Case officer: Jack Bauer_

He was handed a glass and he took it without lifting his eyes from the other man's. 'Thank you.'

_Michaels. Jack **Michaels**._

A hand waved him into a seat and he followed it, seating himself on the end of a sofa. Salazar sat opposite him and took his time in speaking. Jack waited, knowing that it wouldn't be appreciated if he broke the silence. The air seemed to grow heavy between them and the black eyes didn't move from his face. He resisted the urge to fidget, concentrated instead on trying to drink without letting the cold liquid touch his wound.

Eventually…'So. Leon speaks highly of you. Alviro thinks you would be useful. We will see. You'll come to Columbia with me tomorrow morning and we'll give you a try.' Jack just nodded slowly. 'What rank were you when you left your Army?'

'I was a Captain.'

'Oh, an officer. So you have experience leading men?'

'I do. Training and leading.'

'Maybe that is where we can use you. Not straight away of course. I'm told you did some damage to the men who came to get you last night. Do you think that was necessary Jack?'

'Yes. I think if I hadn't, they would have tried to kill me.'

'You're probably right. With that in mind, why didn't you kill them? Surely that would have been the most sensible option?'

'No it wouldn't. I didn't know if they were valued or not – it would be stupid of me to kill people before I knew what you thought of them. And also, I needed one of them to take me to Alviro.'

Ramon nodded. 'Well, at least you know how to think. One of those men was a nephew of mine. If you had killed him, you'd be dead now.' Silence descended again as Jack took that in. He felt himself being watched so was careful not to let any emotion show. 'How long have you been using drugs?'

'About a year.' _Shit, I'll have to up my dosage to make that stick_. He hadn't really expected to be asked.

'Why do you use them?'

He shrugged. 'I was given the chance to try it in Baghdad and didn't really have anything else to do that night.' He was surprised when Ramon laughed at that and the information seemed to get filed away somewhere behind the eyes.

'Can you shoot?'

'SWAT trained and Army marksman.'

'Really? Well, let's see if you've remembered how, shall we?' He rose from his chair, a study in muscled power. Jack took in the way his shoulders rippled under the shirt, the man definitely carried most of his weight in his upper body. He'd be able to pack a punch and one glance at the hands backed that up. His fists were large and had obviously seen a few fights judging by the scarring on the knuckles. Jack stood and followed him out of the door. He felt fine – shooting was something he could do in his sleep.

They left the house through the back door, passing through the kitchen on the way. There were about six men in there and they all stood up when Ramon entered. He ignored them completely. There were two more standing outside and he barked something at them in Castilian Spanish, which Jack only half understood. But they led the way across the courtyard towards where a large barn stood, both obviously nervous. They entered and Jack followed after Ramon, his eyes taking a moment to adjust to the darker light inside. There were hay bales stacked around one wall and bags of feed for various animals were scattered around. Tack for horses was mounted on another wall in various places. There was a lot of squeaking from within the darkness.

'We have a problem with vermin here Jack. It can be quite troublesome. But it will be useful today I think.' He jerked his head at one of the men and Jack was handed a pistol. 'Go stand by the back wall. There are twelve bullets in that gun. We'll see how you do.'

Jack smirked inside. A pistol was the worst type of weapon for this type of shooting. Rats were fast and sneaky, you really needed something with sights. But he was confident in his ability and he checked the magazine and chamber with no sign of nerves, knowing he was being watched all the time. He nodded his readiness and the two men began creating havoc among the animal feed. It wasn't long before the floor was being crossed by scurrying creatures that weren't easy to make out in the dim light – it didn't make much difference to Jack though. As long as he could see a shape, he was accurate. It only took about ten seconds of furious shooting to empty the clip and he made the weapon safe as he walked through the smoke to Ramon and handed it back to him.

'Count them.' He was staring at Jack again and he was starting to wish that he'd stop it. It was getting unnerving. The men were moving about around them but they just stared at each other, neither showing a flicker of emotion.

'Twelve Ramon.'

A smirk broke his impassive features. 'Well, I'm glad you weren't lying about that.' He turned away. 'I have work to do. Be ready for dinner at eight. Until then, don't leave the grounds. We'll talk later Jack.' And he walked away, leaving Jack standing next to twelve small corpses.

'You're a good shot.' He broke off his thoughts about Ramon as Carlos' voice came to him. The young man smiled as he walked into the barn and Jack felt obliged to do the same.

'What would have happened if I wasn't?'

Carlos shrugged. 'With Mr. Salazar, you never know. But he doesn't like fakes. Are you hungry?' Jack nodded and he was led back to the kitchen, which was now empty. 'Help yourself to whatever you like. I have to go and do some things. I expect you're tired too?' Another nod. 'Then I suggest you go and sleep. You'll probably need it, tomorrow will be busy. I'll wake you at seven thirty so you can get ready for dinner.'

Jack smiled again, a proper one this time. 'Thanks Carlos.'

'No problem.' He left and Jack started looking for something to eat. He wondered for a second about why Carlos was being so helpful but soon his thoughts were overrun by Ramon Salazar. He hadn't been quite what he'd expected. He wasn't just a thug at all – well, he was in a way…but there was more to him than that. It wasn't often that Jack was surprised and he shook his head in disbelief when he realized that he quite liked the feeling. He certainly had his work cut out for him and it looked like it was going to take a while but then…that just meant victory would be all the sweeter.

* * *

Alviro was waiting where they'd left him. 'Was he OK Ramon?'

'He'll do. Go back to the city, I'm taking him to Columbia.' Ramon's face looked disgusted at the relief that spread over the other man's features. 'And Alviro…find my nephew. The one that did such a bad job last night – he's probably still in the emergency room. Kill him and spread the word. I won't tolerate such incompetence. The man is good but there were five people sent for him. Make sure everyone knows what the price of failure is.'

He noted the way fear took hold of the other man and smiled to himself. It felt good to have this much power over people. Alviro virtually ran out of the room and Ramon spent a moment thinking about how nice it was when everyone was scared of him. But then, to his surprise, his thoughts fell to the new man. _He_ hadn't seemed scared of him…he frowned and sat down, absent-mindedly reaching for the bottle of tequila and a glass.

Jack Michaels. The man was interesting. There was no fear from him when looked at Ramon and it was a long time since he'd seen that in a man. Even Hector sometimes showed fear. But so far, from this one – nothing. Those cold blue eyes had stared back at him unwaveringly with nothing contained within, nothing at all. There was strength there, without a doubt, and he was obviously skilled. Physically he would be fast, the slim build told him this, but he would have endurance too. He would work.

But there was something a little unnerving about him. It was almost as if he were too cold, too fearless. Ramon liked strength in people – but he didn't like to be challenged. This man looked as though he might challenge. _Well if he does, he will be squashed, it is as simple as that._ No man was irreplaceable in the organization, except for himself of course. Anyway, maybe it was the drugs that made him cold. Perhaps he was too high to be afraid. _We will have to see what he's like when he does not have access to them. Maybe then he will see where his place is…_

He would watch this man with interest. If he proved himself, he could be valuable. And if he didn't, he would die. Ramon smirked and raised a glass to his lips. It was a no-lose situation and those were his favourite odds.


	6. Cum Tacent, Clamant VI

CTC – Chapter VI

Jack lay awake, desperate to sleep but unable to find a quiet place in his head that would allow him to do so. The evening had been weird as hell and he knew he had to make some sense of it before he could let it go.

For a start, Ramon had turned out to be an entertaining host. Jack had expected dinner to be a quiet affair, possibly filled with more questions and subtle interrogations of his past. Instead, there had been a group of them consisting of himself, Ramon and about six of the higher-ranked men in Ramon's security detail, including Carlos and Frederico. There had been a lot of alcohol and great food, even though Jack wasn't able to eat most of it. He'd been trying to hide the pain he was in when suddenly Ramon declared that he was going to search for better wine and he'd asked Jack to go with him. He'd obliged of course, curious as to what this was about.

But instead of anything sinister, Ramon had gently told him that he knew he must be in pain and why didn't he go and fix? He'd go and ask the kitchen staff to make some soup that would be easy for him to eat - because Jack must be hungry - and they'd meet down here and would go back in together so the men would never know about it. Jack had stared for a long minute and started to refuse but Ramon had laughed gently.

'Go on Jack. I know you want to say no because you don't want to appear weak in front of your new boss. But I do not think of it as a weakness. You're in pain and I want your first night with us to be an enjoyable one. So go do it and then come down and we'll go and have some fun.'

His tone had been reassuring and Jack – prompted by the agony that was tearing holes in his face – had agreed by nodding slightly. So he had gone and taken slightly more than he usually did because he wanted to keep numb for as long as possible. He told himself that he needed to be able to think and analyse.

But lying here now, he didn't feel good about it. He told himself that it had almost been an order from Ramon and the man might have been insulted if Jack had refused. He told himself that being a drug user was part of his cover and he had started it and needed to keep it up. He stared at the ceiling and eventually, let Michaels go. Bauer spoke to him and told him that he had been stupid. He should _never _have done that. He should have put up with the pain and just hung on and fixed later. But he had wanted to. He hated to admit it – but he wanted the needle. Oh, it wasn't enough to be considered 'addicted', there were no physical symptoms but still, in his head, he had wanted that weightless feeling to creep through him and he hated himself for it.

He rolled over and punched into the pillow. Damnit! He had to cut back. He couldn't afford to become dependant. This was getting ridiculous. He took a few deep breaths and tried to calm down, told himself to work through the rest of the evening instead of getting wound up.

Added to the strange accommodation of earlier, Ramon had made a special effort to include Jack and make sure that he wasn't left out. He chastised one of the men that had started speaking in Castilian Spanish, because he knew Jack wouldn't understand most of it, then they'd all smoked cigars together and got into a lively discussion with him about the merits of soccer over baseball.

Jack felt like a virgin on prom night, one who was being seduced. He kept thinking that any minute now he was going to be lured into the backseat of some car and get horribly raped – metaphorically speaking of course – but no, the evening had been entirely pleasant. They'd all got pretty drunk and the conversation had turned away from sport and onto cars and women. Bauer wouldn't be comfortable talking about his conquests under any circumstances but it turned out that Michaels – a high Michaels anyway – was quite easily persuaded to invent a few lurid details about modern Iraqi girls and share them with a group of laughing guys.

He felt sick. This wasn't him. Then he had had to remind himself that that was the _point_ of all this. He'd never had to remind himself of that when he was undercover before.

It was the drugs. Had to be the drugs. Damnit! He rolled onto his back again because his face couldn't take the pressure against the pillow. Calm down, just cool it. He was being stupid. His objective here was to infiltrate these guys. He couldn't do that while remaining silent and aloof, they'd get pissed off with him. The logical part of brain told him that he was actually going about this the right way. The better they liked him, the easier this would be – especially if he proved to be a strong asset to the business as well. Which he would, he knew that – he has a lot to offer. So yeah – it was OK. It was just Bauer that was complaining because that way of behaving was so foreign to him. He'd never really been a guy's guy, he kept his mouth shut about women and the intimacies he shared with them. He sighed. Michaels wouldn't though. An ex-Army guy on the Circuit in the Middle East would be full of hot air – he had to let go and play the part.

Jack felt better and started to drift off. Then his eyes snapped open and he remembered he hadn't called into CTU for two days. It was no big deal, he only had to call in once a week before alarm bells started ringing. But he should do it as often as he could really. He sat up in bed and reached for his phone – but after his hand hovered over it for a second, he changed his mind and sank back into the soft mattress. This was the base for the Mexico City operation – he'd have to assume it was bugged. It would be stupid to risk any other assumption.

He sighed as he felt his eyelids start to droop finally. It would be alright. He'd wake up tomorrow, sort out his focus and everything would be fine. This was what he did after all, and failure was not an option.

* * *

Ramon stalked around downstairs, drunk and feeling pretty pleased with himself. He'd had a good evening and was happy with the way the new guy seemed to be reacting to him. Still not scared in any way - which was understandable as he'd gone out of his way to be nice to him – but he'd let down his guard a little too. Ramon liked guys that fit in with the rest of the crew, there was no room for prima donnas in the team. Of course, if he managed to reach a position of power, he'd have to stand apart from the regular guys a bit – but this man wouldn't have a problem with that, Ramon knew it. Hell, he already did stand out a little, there was something about him that reached out and asked to be noticed. He hadn't quite put his finger on what it was yet, but no matter, it would come to him.

Ramon walked through the main office and pulled aside a fake bookcase to reveal a door in the wall. He opened it with a key from his belt and walked in on the man seated inside.

'What's he been doing?'

Frederico pulled his headphones off and stood up from the bank of monitors and microphones that sat in front of him. 'Nothing Ramon. He just took a shower after dinner and went straight to bed.'

'No phone calls, no talking?'

'No, nothing.'

'Is he asleep now?'

'Yes.'

Ramon chewed on his fat cigar speculatively and lost himself in thought for a moment. 'He went straight to sleep?'

'Well, he lay for a while. Rolled about a bit, punched his pillow once. Then, yes. No talking.'

He nodded. 'OK. Go and sleep. I'll watch for a little while, I'm not tired. Tell Carlos to come down in two hours.'

Frederico nodded and left. He wanted to ask why Ramon was showing such an interest in this gringo but knew that it would be extremely hazardous to his health to do so. He'd learned a long time ago that around either one of the Salazar's, you just shut your mouth and did as you were told. This Americano should learn the same thing too but he'd have to find it out on his own.

Ramon took a seat in the comfortable leather recliner and poured himself another drink. He watched the sleeping figure of this man Jack, and wondered why he was invading his thoughts so much. He'd been pretty quiet over dinner really. Almost silent at first but that could be attributable to the pain he must have been feeling. He'd been good about that too though, hadn't bitched or whined about it at all. And after he'd had his fix, he'd relaxed a little. Hell, he'd tried to convince seven South American men that baseball was more interesting than soccer - he definitely had a sense of humour there somewhere. Ramon laughed to himself and took another drink. What was it, what was it…. He tapped his ring on the rim of the glass.

Maybe it was the way he held someone's eyes when he talked to them. Or seemed completely attentive to what another person was saying when they spoke – that was important to men of less intelligence, Jack had probably learned it in the Army. If you made a subordinate feel special, they'd do anything for you. Ramon had never seen the need to bother personally, he ruled by fear. But that wouldn't work on Jack. It was lucky that he had a ready-made weakness, or he'd have had to beat one into him. He grinned and picked up his phone.

'Hector?...How's everything down there? Good…listen, I'm bringing this new man down tomorrow….yes, I'm sure it's the right thing to do. You will see when you meet him. But that's not why I'm calling – has the new shipment left yet?...Good – I want you to keep a kilo back, one kilo of the strong stuff. …it's for our new friend. I'll explain properly when I see you, but trust me, you're going to like it….' There was laughter down the line, Hector was clearly drunk. 'Alright, I will see you tomorrow. Make sure it's done…'

He rang off and placed the phone back down. Then another grin spread over his face and the black eyes sparkled. He raised his glass in a silent toast to the sleeping figure on the monitor. 'You're going to have fun with us Jack. Welcome!' He laughed, amused at his own joking around, and was finally able to turn his mind to other matters.

* * *

The plane ride seemed to take forever but that was probably because he was high again. Ramon was off at the other end of the plane, pacing and on the phone. A few of the guys were playing cards and a couple were sleeping – the ones who had been working during the night. Jack was doing neither, he just leant his head against the window and stared out at clouds that blanketed the sky below them. Which sort of summed up how he felt right now, everything was upside down.

He'd never fixed every day before, much less more than once. But he'd woken up in the night, his jaw inflamed and screaming at him. It felt hot to the touch and he knew he was getting an infection of some sort – those pliers probably hadn't been very clean. But there was nothing he could do about it so he'd just taken a dose and let it put him back to sleep. It was wearing off by the time they left just after lunch and Ramon had noticed that he wasn't eating again. Jack had quietly explained that it wasn't due to pain, he just wasn't hungry – which was true enough. Heroin killed your appetite. Ramon had smiled and told him to do what had to be done, and Jack had. He felt like shit for doing it but told himself that he would be no use to anyone if he couldn't work, and that was the crux of the matter. He was there to work and he had to do everything he could to keep on going.

Now he was staring out of the window, almost oblivious to everything. It didn't matter, there was nothing going on worth noting anyway. Ramon was too far away to listen to and the guys were just talking about women again. So he let his mind drift like the clouds he was transfixed by and wondered what he was doing. He didn't notice Ramon's eyes on him, watching him sitting apart and still wondering about him.

The truck drive was just as boring. Luckily, his high had worn off a little and he was able to focus some more. It was important that he pay attention to where he was going as much as possible and having something to concentrate on made him feel much better about things. It helped remind him that he really was working here, not just lazing around and taking drugs which was what he had come to the conclusion he was doing on the plane. It seemed stupid now, that he had thought that even for a short time but it was enough to make him realize that he had to stop with the heroin. It was interfering with his though processes and that was bad. He would just have to deal with the pain, it wasn't like it would last forever anyway.

They drove for five hours and in the end Jack had to give up on his careful following of the route, simply because it got too dark. He knew the direction they were headed in of course, but he'd have to find out the specifics later on. Most of the men had fallen asleep, but not Ramon, who sat up front and seemed as alert as ever. Sometimes he was on the phone – speaking Portuguese for the most part this time, which Jack didn't understand – and sometimes he was talking quietly to the driver or simply looking around at where they were. Occasionally he would look into the back of the van and sometimes Jack thought he caught his eye in the darkness but it was impossible to be sure, the man's eyes were darker than the night.

He huddled inside his jacket as he'd started to get cold, even though the night was warm. He was aching again and he felt kind of light-headed. He was starving too but the thought of food made him ill. His face was swelling nastily and he could hardly stand anything to touch it either – fuck, those assholes had got him sick. This was _not_ what he needed right now. He wrapped his arms around himself for warmth and tried to concentrate on his plan of attack. He'd made it this far alright. He needed to get in touch with Tony tomorrow if possible and let him know he was in Columbia. He needed to take every opportunity he could to show Ramon that he could be useful to him. And he needed to gain the respect of the men, that was very important. If they didn't respect him, he'd never get anywhere. Which meant no sign of weakness. He sighed at the realisation and reluctantly unwrapped his arms from his body and let them rest on the seat beside him. If Ramon saw him like this, he might think it was junk sickness. And that would be the worst thing of all – the last thing they would want was a junkie working for them.

They pulled up at a gas station and most of the men roused themselves and got out to buy food or beer and to use the restrooms. Jack stayed where he was and tried to look as though he were completely fine. He had thought Ramon had gone inside too, so he was surprised when the side door was pulled open and the man stood there, eyeing him.

'What's wrong?'

'Nothing Ramon. I just don't need anything right now.'

'You sure?' It was a loaded question and Jack hoped the nod of his head was visible in the darkness. 'Listen to me Jack…you know the kind of work we do here. Do you think that my men all stay away from the stuff? Of course not – most of them use something. And I'm fine with that, as long as it doesn't impair their work. So don't feel you have to hide your problem…'

'It's not a problem!' Jack burst out and interrupted Ramon mid-sentence. His head was starting to spin so he didn't see the dark look that overcame the other man's features. 'I just…I'm sorry. It's not a problem.' He tried to keep his voice down. _Fuck, what am I doing… _'I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap. I mean it though, the drugs are not a problem for me.'

'So what's the matter?'

'Nothing, really.'

Ramon stared at him with an unreadable expression. Jack was sitting in darkness, so the state of his face was not obvious. All Ramon knew was this new guy had just bitten his head off, and he was going to have to pay for that. Still, he kept his voice calm and friendly for the time being, holding back the rising fury that was coming up his throat. _Who does this little fucker think he is… _

'Alright Jack. We're almost there anyway. We'll talk some more when we arrive.' He walked away, leaving Jack staring after him. He hadn't missed the undertone of anger in Ramon's voice, not matter how hard the man had tried to hide it, and he cursed himself. Damnit, he was going to pay for that remark later on…

The others came back and filled the truck again. They offered to share their stuff with Jack but he declined with a smile in his voice so they wouldn't think anything was wrong. The drive was about another hour after that and conversation among them was kept low. Jack pretended to sleep, fighting off waves of nausea and dizziness. _Fuck… _

They eventually arrived at what seemed to be a ranch and Jack climbed out with the rest, throwing his bag over his shoulder and waiting to be directed where to go. Half of him hoped that Ramon would ignore him for the time being, the rest of him knew that it was a futile hope. They hadn't walked two steps before Ramon yelled at everybody to stop. Jack turned towards him in the darkness, resigning himself to what was coming. He just hoped the man would stay off the face but no such luck – the first punch hit him directly on the most painful part of his jaw. He struggled to stay on his feet while lights exploded behind his eyes. The second punch hit him right in the solar plexus, knocking all the wind out of him. He choked and fell to his knees, gasping for air and he was wide open to the kick that hit him in the chest and knocked him flat on his back.

Ramon stood over him in the darkness with a leer on his face. It couldn't be seen but Jack knew it was there anyway as he struggled to breathe on the floor. 'You know what that was for Jack?' His voice was loud and rough and demanded an answer.

'Yes. I'm sorry I snapped at you._' Fucking asshole. _

'Do it again and I'll break your neck. You'll get off easy this time because you're new but that's your last warning, you understand me Jack?'

'Yes I understand.' _Motherfucking asshole prick_.

'Good. Get up and follow me. You need to meet my brother.' He turned to the rest of them. 'Start at 7am tomorrow morning. You've all had enough of a vacation.'

There were mutters of 'Yes Ramon' as they all averted their eyes from their bosses face and the man struggling to get to his feet. They trailed off into the darkness, aiming for some dim lights attached to a low building not far away. Jack managed to stand finally and again fought the urge to throw up.

'Come on.' He followed Ramon, swaying slightly but thankful that the air was cool. It seemed to help clear the fog in his head and he dreaded entering the lights of the house that were already making his eyes ache. They entered and luckily it was cool inside as well. Jack wearily took note of the plush surroundings and tasteful furnishings and part of him wondered who had picked this stuff out. Surely Ramon wasn't the type? He gave a small laugh inside his head. Who cared? He just wanted to pass out somewhere.

They walked down a tiled hallway that opened out into a spacious kitchen . Ramon hadn't turned round and Jack took a chance and paused for a moment, leaning on the doorframe and shielding his eyes from the light by keeping his head down. He was aware of Ramon embracing another man quickly and made sure he stood upright when he sensed eyes turning to him.

'Jack, this is my brother Hector. You'll do as he tells you, alright?' Jack raised his head and was aware of the shock that registered on their faces as he swayed into the kitchen. He tried to extend his hand and stay upright, but purple spots were closing over his vision and he couldn't fight them off anymore. He thought he heard a woman cry out as the world tilted and he fell but he passed it off as his imagination as blackness descended and his head hit smooth hard tile.

* * *

He awoke to cool air blowing on his face from the ceiling fan and the lights were off. As soon as his eyelids opened, crushing pain forced them closed again and a small groan ripped from his throat. He heard a door opening and felt a presence in the room almost instantly so he tried to open them again.

'How do you feel?' It was a woman's voice, speaking soft English and he wondered if he was hallucinating.

'Been better. What time is it?'

'About two in the morning. You've been out for a while.'

He blinked and tried to assess his surroundings. OK, he was in bed. And had apparently been stripped down to his shorts. But where the fuck was he? The woman seemed to read his confusion.

'You've got a room in the house for a couple of days. The doctor has been to see you. There is an infection in your mouth because you lost a tooth and it caused a fever. You'll be fine. They have given you an injection and you have pills to take.'

'Thank you. Who are you?'

A deep throaty chuckle sounded from the darkness. 'My name is Claudia. And now, I have to go and find Ramon. He wants to talk to you.'

'I'm Jack.'

'I know.' She left and he let his eyes close again. He wanted to sleep but knew that would piss Ramon off, so he poked himself in one of the bruises in his side to keep himself awake. It wasn't long before the door opened again and Ramon entered.

'Why didn't you were say you were sick?' His voice was demanding but not really angry.

'I thought it would pass.' He saw the dark outline sink into a chair a few feet away and his voice seemed disembodied as it floated from the blackness.

'Listen to me Michaels and listen carefully. I have a reputation and I know you know of it. You should also realise however that I am not a stupid man. I recognise talent and you have it. So, yes, be as tough as you want when you're working. I expect nothing less and I will punish you if don't work hard. But a sickness like this – it's not something you can do anything about. Do you think I don't understand a fever? When something like this happens, you get the right drugs, you get better and you go back to work. You understand? You are here to _work_ and you are no use to me if you can't.' He stood up. 'Do not think you are getting special treatment. All of my injured men get treatment when they fall ill. Otherwise they are no use – and like any employer, I need workers. So you will stay in bed until you're better, then you will do as I ask and work hard. Is that clear?'

'Yes that's clear.'

'Good.' He left the room, leaving Jack more confused than ever. Months planning for this mission. Months of excruciating, painstaking work, learning the area, learning about the drug trade, learning about Ramon Salazar. Hearing what a monster he was. And now – this. OK, the man was really looking out for himself. But from what he'd heard, he would have expected to get a quick bullet in the head rather than this sort of treatment. He would have thought that this would be too much trouble for Ramon to bother with. And he cursed and cursed the stupid bastards who had put him here. This was not the way he wanted this mission to start off. The plan had been working so well, now it all seemed to be going off the rails. He had to get it back on track, and quickly.

Claudia came back into the room and stood over him. He couldn't see her face but her presence felt nice. 'Do you need something for the pain?'

'Yes.' She gently pushed a pill between his lips and stuck a straw in his mouth so he could swallow it. 'What was that?'

'A morphine tablet.'

'Morphine?' _Shit!_

'Yes. The doctor gave them to you. Now go to sleep, I will see you in the morning.' She left again and he swore under his breath. Morphine was as bad as heroin. He'd decided to stay away from this shit. Damnit! He couldn't stay mad for long though because he was getting drowsy and it wasn't long before sleep pulled him back under.

* * *

Claudia walked into the kitchen where Ramon and Hector were talking and drinking. She heard Hector asking what the hell Ramon thought he was doing.

'You will see Hector.'

'I don't understand. He's just a gringo. Let him have his pills if you like but throw him into the bunkhouse with the rest of the single men. Why have him in here?'

'Because I have a plan Hector. There is something different about this man, you will see when he is well. He's strong and he's going to be useful to us. But I don't want him to get above himself.'

'What are you thinking?'

'He likes the heroin. But I don't think he's addicted to it. We were watching him in the house and he was only taking it when I told him to, and because of the pain in his face. There has been no sign of withdrawal from him.'

'So?'

'So…' Ramon toyed with his glass and paused before he spoke. 'He used to be in the Special Forces. I think he will be good at training our men and perhaps we can use him for planning purposes too. But he needs to be tested and men like that, they know how to resist pain. We will do what we normally do and he will pass. I want more on him.'

'What then?'

'Do you have the kilo I asked you to set aside?' Hector nodded. 'We'll make sure he gets addicted properly. That way, we'll be able to control him. He wont be able to cause problems if he's reliant on us for his supply. He'll do what we ask.'

'And then?'

Ramon just smirked as he raised his glass to his lips. 'You'll see Hector. Just make sure that he uses a lot. Keep an eye on him. Get the word to Charlie and Pietro as well. We'll work him and make sure he's comfortable here. When he's ours…that's when we see what he's made of. If he breaks, we'll kill him. If not, we'll have someone worth holding onto.'

Hector smirked and sat back in his chair. That was the sort of devious plan he liked. And this Michaels guy wouldn't stand a chance.

Claudia turned around from where she'd been drying some glasses and looked at the two men. She sighed inwardly. This was exactly the sort of thing she would have expected from these two and for a second, she allowed herself the luxury of wishing someone would kill them. But she banished the thought quickly and went to kiss Hector goodnight. This was her life, she had chosen it and she would live with it. She really didn't have a choice.


	7. Cum Tacent Clamant VII

CTC – VII

Jack surveyed the scene from his vantage point on the hill, field binoculars to his eyes and his focus totally on what was going on below. Ramon and Hector were standing next to him but he didn't even register their presence as he watched the teams fight it out for control of the ruined outhouse they were using for practice.

'No no no…' Ramon exchanged amused glances with his brother as Jack whispered under his breath.

'What is it Jack?'

He lowered the binoculars as one team protected their corner and the other tried to take them out and gain possession of the box that was supposed to represent the prize. 'They're forgetting to protect their rear this time round. The attacking team remembered to use natural cover like I told them to and the defenders haven't figured that they'd use it.'

He looked over to Carlos. 'Wanna come and make a point with me?' The man grinned his acquiescence and Jack pulled up his radio and ordered Charlie and Javier to fall back. Without waiting to hear the reactions of the two brothers he set off at a sprint with Carlos close on his heels.

Ramon turned to Hector with a grin. 'Didn't I tell you?'

Hector rolled his eyes. 'Yes yes, alright. He's good.' Ramon raised his eyebrows. 'He's i_very/i_ good. But he's been here a month already and we haven't tested him beyond the ranch yet.'

'Well, we need to get the men up to scratch first. They're still making basic errors at times. And that's not Jack's leadership, that's their own stupidity. They're not used to organized tactics yet. They'll learn and when they do, we'll have the best trained men in Columbia.' Ramon grinned and clapped Hector on the shoulder, then raised Jack's discarded binoculars to his eyes. He watched as Jack and Carlos moved up from the scrubland behind the building, using the standard 'buddy' covering system where one ran while the other covered them and then vice versa. They moved quickly, a good partnership, and it wasn't long before Jack was at the small open gap at the back of building where a window used to be. He quickly got into position, swung his gun in and took out the four men spread around the interior of the outhouse. At least, Ramon assumed he took them out. He couldn't see in obviously but he knew that Jack didn't miss from that range.

Carlos gave him a boost through the small gap and Ramon heard the yell 'Clear!' reach him from way below. It was the signal for the rest of his team to move in and the four men defending the outside of the building quickly went down. Jack emerged from the building with the box above his head and a broad grin on his face, to the cheers and high-fives of the rest of his team. He laughed at their exuberance and allowed himself to be grabbed by the guys and swung around a few times before they all calmed down a bit and started helping the losing team off the floor, who had big red paint marks on their clothes that spelt out their losing status. There was a couple of minutes of jeering and joking, then Jack said something to them that caused them to move out back in the direction of the makeshift mess hall that he'd insisted on.

Ramon kept the glasses on Jack the whole time and studied his face carefully. He seemed to genuinely enjoy this aspect of his job and he had quickly become a favourite among the guys. He had started out just supervising simple things like target shooting but everyday he had come to see Ramon with more polite requests and questions about whether they could try this or that, and eventually Ramon had had no choice but to let him have virtually free rein over the way the men were trained. And they had improved beyond recognition in three short weeks, even Hector could see it now. He had been sceptical at first, but results were results and they were there for all to observe.

Jack had sent Carlos with the men and was running back up the hill, his breath coming easily as he covered the distance. He was in great shape and Ramon wondered how he did it, considering the size of his habit now.

'I sent them in for lunch Ramon. I'll go through it all with them straight after and we'll give it another run through this afternoon. If that's OK with you obviously.'

'Yes, that's fine Jack.' His phone rang and he walked away to answer it, leaving Hector and Jack alone.

'They're looking much better Jack, you've done a great job.'

'Thanks. They're good guys, they learn pretty fast.'

Hector studied the man in front of him and as usual, found himself puzzled. He liked Jack and found him quite easy to get on with most of the time. He only really saw him when they were working though because the guy didn't socialise much. The few times he drank with other people, he was quiet and almost withdrawn, it was only occasionally that he opened up and relaxed a little. Ramon put it down to the drug use, he said that using heroin made a person introverted but Hector wasn't so sure. Jack didn't seem introverted when he was working.

Ramon walked up to them and held his phone out to Jack. 'Someone wants to talk to you.'

Jack froze for a millisecond, a bottle of water halfway to his lips. Who would want to talk to him? He hid his confusion and took the phone without asking questions.

'Michaels.' Christ, for a second there, he almost said 'Bauer.'

'Jack! This is Leon Chavez.'

His blood ran cold for a second but he made sure it didn't show on his face. What the fuck? Ramon and Hector were literally two feet away from him.

'Hello sir. Its nice to hear from you again. It's been a while now.'

'I have a message from Antonio for you. He saw fit to call me because he said you missed your mother's birthday last week and he didn't have a number where he could get in touch with you.' i_Tony says, what the fuck is going on! Why didn't you call in last week/i_

'Oh damn, that's right. I completely forgot. I'll call her and apologise. Him too.' i_I was busy, couldn't get away./i_

'Well, make sure you do. And give him your number for Chris' sakes Jack, I'm not your messenger service.' i_I don't want to have to do this again./i_

'I will sir. How's everything with you? Keeping safe?' i_Don't threaten me you prick, the Agency has you by the balls./i_

'Yes, everything's fine. Well, if Antonio calls back, I'll tell him you're going to be in touch alright?' i_I'll call Tony and tell him you're still alive./i_

'Yes, thank you sir. I'll speak to him soon too.' i_Do that. Tell him I'll be in touch./i_

'Bye Jack.' i_Prick./i_

'Sir.' i_Asshole./i_

He hung up and handed the phone back to Ramon who immediately asked him what that was all about. 'Seems I forgot my mother's birthday last week. My brother doesn't have a number for me so he called Mr. Chavez to see if I was around.'

They both got a good laugh out of that and Jack tried to join in although his heart was beating furiously in his chest. What the hell was Tony thinking, calling Chavez into this? Goddammit, he'd get him killed like that!

'Jack, Jack, you need to be a better son. It's not nice, forgetting the woman that brought you into the world.' Ramon clapped him on the back as they started walking back to the ranch house.

'I have a hard time picturing you with a mother. Or a brother for that matter. What's he like?' Trust Hector to be suspicious. He painted a grin on his face and tried to pretend he was having a good time.

'Well, he's a businessman. Done pretty well for himself really. We're not much alike.'

'Where does he work out of?'

'New York mostly.'

'What's his name?'

'Antonio. Tony.' Fuck, now he'd have to call in quickly and establish a cover for Tony as well. Damnit! His mind worked furiously as he thought about how he was going to do this while the brothers made jokes about their own mother and he pretended to laugh along with them. They reached the main house and Jack made to walk on to where the men were but Ramon stopped him.

'Wait a minute, I want to talk to you.' Hector went on without them and Ramon rounded on him. 'Listen Jack, I'm a little worried about your behaviour recently.'

'Oh? I'm sorry Ramon, what did I do?'

_iWhy are your eyes so blank? I look into them and see nothing and I don't like that. And you're b**still/b** not afraid of me. I don't like that either./i_

'No nothing, you've done nothing wrong. You're doing a good job. It's just that – I know you have to stay apart from the other men a little, they're starting to look up to you. And that's good, that's what I want. I told you I knew you had talent. But you don't join in with them at all. Even Hector and I drink with them sometimes and you should too. Is it the drugs? I know you're using more.'

_iOf course you know, you're the one giving them to me. And you wont let me say no because if I do you'll bust me down and I can't afford to have that happen./i_

'No. The drugs aren't a problem, I don't use when I'm working. I just feel a little uncomfortable hanging out with the guys that I give instructions to during the day, that's all. Its not really how I was trained.'

_iOf course it's the damn drugs Ramon. I get so fucked up every evening I can hardly talk. And you know that because you pay me a visit every night and make sure of it./i_

'Well, you need to loosen up a little with them. Now listen, Hector and I think its about time we put all this training to good use. Stop by the house tonight when you're done and we'll talk about it.'

'OK Ramon. That should be about seven, is that OK?'

'That's fine.' Jack nodded to him and started to move away but Ramon stopped him. 'Jack?' He looked back. 'Eat something for once. You look like a rake.'

He smiled and nodded again, then headed into the crude mess tent. He'd politely insisted on having it early on. Having the guys eat together gave them a chance to bond more and cut down on people grouping together and forming cliques that bitched about other cliques. It was working too, fights between them had been reduced dramatically. Now they pretty much just fought for fun and Jack knew that would never stop. They just enjoyed it too much.

He walked over to the tables and helped himself to a coffee and an OJ, then walked out and headed back towards his tiny room. He'd started out sharing the bunkhouse with the other single guys but as Ramon increased his responsibility, he'd been allowed his own little space. He usually came in here at lunch times and took a few minutes to himself. And regardless of what he'd just told Ramon, he sometimes took a small hit too. He found himself missing it if he didn't.

Not today though. Now he was too mad at Tony. Goddammit! OK, so he'd missed calling last week but he'd only missed two of the back-up calls i_and why the hell had he done this_/i Now he had to get to a phone without being spotted, call in, tell Tony to arrange a basic cover for himself in case Ramon or Hector decided to check up on his 'family', he had to get him to call Chavez and square the story with him in case Ramon called him and damnit, it was a mess. He flung himself onto his bunk and stared up at the ceiling.

Well, maybe he could work it. Maybe he could persuade Ramon to let him take some of the guys into town after they were done tonight, on the pretence of talking over Ramon's plan, whatever that turned out to be. After all, he had just said he wanted Jack to socialise with the men more. So – OK, it was possible. He could only try. If not, he would just have to hope that Chavez was savvy enough to relay the conversation they'd had in its entirety and hope that Tony realised what it meant. He sighed and pulled himself into a sitting position. He should really put in an appearance at lunch.

He was just getting ready to move when there was a knocking on the doorframe. There was no door there but he had a curtain and the guys normally gave him some measure of space. He knew who this would be already though and it was confirmed as a dark head shoved itself through the curtain. 'Hi Charlie, what can I do for you?'

Charlie was an American too, there were only three on the ranch, including himself. This one seemed to have taken a bit of a shine to him and it was getting to be a slight pain in the butt actually, the guy wouldn't leave him alone. He was thirty-one but looked about twenty, due to wide set blue eyes that were as clear as the sky, and a mop of brown hair that shot out in all directions. His mouth was wide and it smiled a lot too. He was an ex-Marine. You'd never know it to look at him.

'Hey Jack. I was just wondering if I'd done something to annoy you. It was bothering me a bit so I thought I'd come and ask.'

Jack beckoned him inside and did a mental eye-roll. How the hell had this guy ever survived the Marines? 'No you haven't pissed me off. What makes you think that?'

'Well, you pulled me out of the group today. You've done it before too.'

'I did that because the other guys need more practice. You're ex-military, you know all this stuff already. They need to work at it a bit more, that's all.'

'Oh OK. Good.' He just stood there and Jack looked at him. 'Anything else I can do for you?'

'No. Well…yes. I mean…'

'Spit it out.'

'Well, I was just wondering if you were OK. Some of the other guys were wondering as well, I mean, we don't see you much, except when we're working.'

_iLooks like Ramon was right_./i 'I'm fine Charlie. Just working on new things to teach all of you. I don't want any of us to get killed when we get off this ranch, y'know?'

'Oh yes, I understand that sir.'

'Don't call me sir. We're not in the forces now. Its Jack, OK?'

'OK, sorry.' He seemed to be looking for an excuse to stay but Jack didn't want to give him one.

'I'll be out in a while alright? If the guys finish before I get there, have them move the tables back so I can talk to them altogether and demonstrate a few things.' Charlie nodded and left and Jack flopped back down on his bunk. What was with that guy? He was like a puppy or something.

Without even realising it, his hand was searching under the bed frame and it came up holding a small metal box. He stared at it and sighed. Might as well. If he was going to be busy this evening he might not have a chance…of course he would. Ramon would make sure of it.

He didn't know why the man was going out of his way to encourage Jack's drug use but there really wasn't a lot he could do to stop it. Anything Ramon 'suggested' was always an order, no matter how polite his tone of voice was. It didn't really make sense – why would they be happy with a junkie in charge of their men? Surely it would just get them killed? But then, Jack had a sneaking suspicion that Ramon didn't give a damn how many people got killed – there were always more guys around looking for work.

He slumped against the wall, toying with the box but not opening it. This mission was becoming more and more frustrating. He'd been ill for a week then had recovered enough to start work with the guys. There had been a few days of labour out in the fields where he'd worked harder than anyone else, determined to make a good impression after his rocky start. Then Ramon had asked him to spend a day teaching some of the newer guys how to handle their guns properly, apparently there had been some accidents on the last job because the young guys weren't used to automatic weapons. He'd been watched for the whole day by both the brothers and had given them his assessment on the guys at the end of the day. Neither of them had said much but they'd let him spend the next day with some of the more experienced security guys and he'd been able to point to at least five major things they were doing wrong. After that, it had become his full-time job and they seemed happy with what he was doing.

Logically, his mind told him that he was doing alright. He had some responsibility and hadn't run into any trouble. He even enjoyed the work, it was pretty similar to being in charge of a platoon in the Army and he'd always enjoyed the camaraderie that existed between a good officer and his troops.

But he wasn't getting anywhere. He was no closer to a position of trust with the brothers and at the moment, it didn't seem like he was going to get it. Of course, the longer he was here, the more likely he was to gain status and he'd only been here a month so shit, it wasn't as though he could expect to be very far along yet. It was just that…it all felt wrong somehow. He didn't feel like he was doing enough. There had to be i_some/i_ way to make inroads into the cartel, something that was quicker than this anyway. Perhaps it was because of the heroin but there was an air of surrealism over everything he did here. And he was edgy all the time, he felt that there was something going on that he didn't have access to, as if he could be doing more to achieve his ends. And instead of doing it, he was enjoying his work and taking drugs and not really making an effort.

And those eyes were always on him. He knew it, even when he couldn't see them around. He was used to constant scrutiny but this was different, because he didn't know what Ramon was looking for. The only way he knew he wasn't blown was because he was still alive – but then, what did the man expect of him? What was he looking for? Hector was easy to read – he had been sceptical and wary of Jack and now he was slowly accepting him. But Ramon? Almost impossible to say. Those black eyes gave nothing away. And Jack didn't know which way to play him if he couldn't figure out what he was thinking.

He sighed and put the box away without opening it, then got off the bunk and headed back outside. Time to go back to work. He'd go by the house tonight and see what they were planning. Maybe an opportunity would present itself. He'd have to be ready if it did.

Charlie knocked on the door of the main house and smiled at Sergio when the boy opened it.

'Hey Sergio. Is Ramon around?'

'Yes, he's in the kitchen. I'll go and tell him you're here.' He ran off and Charlie grinned after him. He reminded him of his own son, who was about the same age. Then he shoved that thought away and closed the front door after him.

'Charlie.' He looked up and Ramon was standing there. He ordered him inside with a jerk of his head and he followed him through into the kitchen. 'So, what's he been doing?'

'Nothing Ramon. I just saw him and he's doing pretty much what he does every lunchtime. He just sits on his own. I don't think he's taken anything.'

'Hmmm.' Ramon lit a cigar and chewed on it.

'May I say something?'

'Go ahead.'

'Well, I think he's getting suspicious of me always hanging around him. I mean, I have to invent excuses to go and see him because he's always on his own. It won't be long before he's wondering why I'm doing it.'

'Don't worry about that. I've already spoken to him, he'll be spending more time with you all from now on. Ask him to go out for a drink with you tonight, he'll say yes. And you - you need to stop treating him like he's an officer in your military, stop talking to him like he's your boss. You work for i_me/i_. You have to become friends with him and get him to talk to you. You understand? You're no good to me if you kiss his ass all day long. He won't respect that.'

Charlie examined the floor. 'Yeah, I understand. It's just that – well, he's good y'know? It's hard not to respect him. He's not like the rest of the men and it's difficult to get close to him.'

Ramon threw his cigar down on the counter and backhanded him hard across the face, noting the look of pain with satisfaction. 'If this assignment is too difficult for you, just say so! I'm only asking you to befriend a fellow American, it shouldn't be that difficult. Maybe I overestimated you Charlie, eh? Maybe you really are a worthless piece of shit.'

'No, no, I can do it. Sorry Ramon.'

'Good. Now get back to work and don't come to me with this crap again. He may be better than most men who work for me but he's still just a man and I want to know about him. Bring me information or you won't be working for me much longer.'

He turned away and Charlie left, mumbling an apology and a promise to do better. He picked up his cigar and exhaled a long stream of smoke. He was on edge. There hadn't been enough action around here recently and Ramon was bored. Michaels was fitting in well and making the men work together, it created a different atmosphere on the ranch that he wasn't sure he was happy with. He quite liked it when the employees bitched and fought and scrapped for his attention. It meant that he had a never-ending stream of people falling over themselves to prove their worth. Now they were working as a team and although the results might be better for business, it set his teeth on edge. Discontent was what he was used to and this feeling of harmony was distinctly unnerving.

He picked up his phone and called Hector over to the house.

Jack spent the afternoon running through the morning's exercise again. He briefed them on where they'd gone wrong earlier and they tried it again with much better results this time. All in all, he was satisfied with the way they were coming along and they finished pretty early. Normally he'd let them go and relax some because this group would be back doing manual labour tomorrow while he trained another lot that were doing the manual stuff today – Ramon wanted all his men to be trained in fighting tactics, well, since Jack had suggested it anyway – but he remembered what he'd been told earlier and instead of letting them off, he organised a makeshift baseball game. They jokingly complained and said they wanted to play soccer but Jack had laughed and said he'd only play soccer if they beat his team next time out. Until then, it was baseball.

It was fun actually and they all seemed to enjoy it. Jack was pitching, since only a few others knew how to. Charlie headed up the other team as he knew the rules and after a while it descended into mad slides into base and tackling the runner's football-style when it looked like they were going to make it round. Eventually they were all too laughing too much to continue and they were covered in dust so Jack wound it up and promised they'd be able to play again soon. It was a good way to end the work day and it helped erase the memory of his thoughts at lunchtime.

He checked his watch – just time enough to take a shower before he had to get over to the house to meet Ramon. He walked back to the bunkhouse with a bunch of the other guys, but stopped when Charlie called his name and he waited for him to catch up.

'Hey man. That was fun.'

'Yeah, I thought so too. What's up?'

'Just wondered if you wanted to go for a beer later. If you're not busy with anything that is.'

He didn't really feel like it but again, he remembered what Ramon had said. And he had to get to a phone. 'Yeah OK. I have to go up to the house for a bit, I don't know how long that'll take. Ask the others too, we might as well all go.'

'Sure thing man. We'll hang out and wait for you.'

He jogged on and Jack trailed behind wearily. It had been a tiring day but he needed to get his game face on. There was no room for weakness tonight, he had to talk to Ramon and he had to get to a phone. He shook himself mentally and picked up his pace as he headed for the shower. He'd take a hit first, it was better if he did it when Ramon wasn't around. That way, he could control how much he took. Then he'd go and see what Ramon wanted and try and find a way to prove to him

_i(prove to yourself man, be honest…)/i_

…that he could do more than he was doing already. He felt better with this plan in mind and he pushed his worries aside and went back to work.

Ramon was tired of the look on Hectors face, the look that said he was talking crazy. He loved his brother, as much as he loved anyone anyway, but sometimes he was the most annoying person in the world. And sometimes it was necessary to remind him who was in charge around here.

'Hector, just listen to what I'm saying.' He was shaking his head before the sentence was finished and Ramon resisted the urge to put him through a wall. 'Do you think I'm so stupid? I'm not talking about i_now/i_. I'm saying we keep it in mind for the future.'

'I can't believe what I'm hearing. I can't. Are you serious?'

They both shut up as Claudia walked in and looked at them. She caught the tension in the air and looked at Hector inquiringly. 'Claudia, leave us alone.'

'Alright. Dinner will be ready in half an hour. Is the American staying for it?'

'I don't know yet. Just make enough.' She got the message and left the room. Hector paced around and glared at his brother, who just sat in an armchair and smirked at him. 'Ramon, I admit that he's good. But we can't trust him yet. We haven't seen what he can do on a proper job yet! And you are talking of…i_this/i_? Why?'

He sighed and stretched his legs out. Hector never thought long-term, that was his trouble. 'Listen to me. I'm not talking of letting him in anytime soon. I'm not stupid. I'm just saying that if he continues to work well, there are more ways we can use him. Do you really think that he's going to be good on the ranch and useless when we send him out with the men? Of course he will be good! Look at what he's done so far. And he's only teaching basics at the moment – Lord knows what else he can do. So all I'm saying is, he's a long term prospect. And we need to keep that in mind. I don't want him getting bored and deciding to move on. We need to keep him interested.'

Hector looked sullen. 'Well, as long as you're not planning it yet. I won't go against it if he's proven himself – but he hasn't yet. I mean it Ramon, he needs to do a lot more first.'

'Of course he does. I've arranged a little something for tonight, sort of a test-the-water scheme. We'll see what he does. And there's the thing next week. We'll take it steady. I just wanted to bring it up with you now to let you know what I'm thinking. We run this business together Hector, you know that.' They both knew that was a lie. They weren't equals, not really. 'So stop worrying. Let me handle him and it will all work out.'

'We'll see. There's no hurry is there?'

'Of course not. Now, I'm going to change. He'll be here in a minute. Keep him entertained and I'll be back.' He rose and left the room, leaving Hector wondering. He didn't understand Ramon's interest in this man. He did admit that he hadn't really got to know Michaels though, so maybe there was something he was missing. He normally concerned himself with the running of the ranch and the distribution angles. Ramon was the one that made contacts and brokered deals, so he was more used to discerning who was trustworthy or not. It was a talent of his.

He threw himself into a chair and tried to calm down. It worried him that Ramon was thinking this about the gringo. It didn't mean that his brother was wrong of course, it just seemed to be happening very fast. There were only five men who had ever worn the mark. Himself and Ramon, their father and two other trusted men, both of whom were now dead. It was strange that this man Jack was even being considered this early on. Of course, it might never happen. They were just going to keep an eye on him and there was nothing wrong with that. He sighed. He was overreacting. There were countless tests before the idea would be considered enough to become a reality, so there was no need to worry about it yet. And the man i_was/i_ good.

His thoughts were interrupted by Sergio, who ran in calling his name.

'Hey buddy!'

'Hector, Jack's here.'

'He is? Well, you go and get him for me then, OK? And listen – you want to go for a ride with me tomorrow? If you do, let your father know so he can get a horse ready for you in the morning.'

'Yeah, I wanna go out tomorrow. Thanks Hector!' He ran out again and Hector smiled after him. He was a good kid. He hoped that the sons he would have with Claudia turned out like him, if they did the business would be in safe hands in years to come. Most of Ramon's sons were dead already.

'Hector.'

'Hey Jack. You want a drink?'

'Yeah thanks.' He got up and poured a tequila for him, then waved him into a seat as he handed it over. 'How'd they do this afternoon?'

'Much better. I'll be able to move them on to some more advanced stuff soon I think.'

'That's good.' Silence fell and Hector watched the man as he took a sip of his drink, trying to see what Ramon saw in him. He kept in mind that his brother liked a challenge – and yes, there was one here. The blue eyes were blank and he was hard to read. He didn't seem afraid or nervous, he didn't see the need to fill the gaps with unnecessary conversation. And he held himself upright, everything about his posture spoke of self-confidence and quiet strength. Intelligent too.

But he still made him nervous. Why would a man like this come to work in a drug cartel? Was he motivated by money? Or did he like the danger? Hector knew that he'd been in the military and that was plain to see in his bearing – maybe he just got disillusioned when he was kicked out and there was no other way he could spend his life. There was no way a man like this could fit into a quiet existence. He didn't know why he hadn't seen it before, but then, he supposed he'd never really looked. He spent a moment trying to imagine Jack in a 'normal' profession and it just wouldn't fit. But he couldn't exactly work out why and that frustrated him. He wasn't like Ramon, he didn't really enjoy challenges. He liked things obvious and this man kept too much back for his liking. He wanted to be able to read a mans thoughts from the expressions on his face, and he couldn't do that here.

'Have you ever been married Jack?'

'Once.'

'What happened?'

'She divorced me. Didn't like the army life. I don't know where she is now.' That much was in his cover.

'A woman who doesn't stay by her man is not worth having.'

'Yeah, I think you're right. She wasn't worth hanging onto though. I was quite glad when she left.'

Hmmm. He was cold. He liked that. 'Another drink?'

'Sure, thanks. Oh hey, the guys want me to go out with them tonight. Is that OK?' He kept the right amount of deference in his voice. Hector would like being asked.

'Yes of course Jack. We don't expect you to sit around here every night. You've been working hard, go and have some fun. There are plenty of whores in the town, you'll enjoy yourself.'

Jack smiled vaguely and downed his shot. He had no intention of using prostitutes but he wouldn't come out and say that of course. He found himself being quite glad when Ramon entered the room. Hector was different to his brother, he asked a lot more questions. Ramon liked to figure things out for himself by observation and trusting his instincts. It made him harder to deal with. Questions could be answered with a lie and Jack could do that easily. But keeping a lie out of your body language and eyes required a lot more effort.

'Evening Jack.'

'Evening Ramon. I hope I'm not holding you up.'

'Not at all. We saw you playing baseball with the men. That's good I think. Just don't do it too often. Another drink?'

'Yes, thank you.' Damn, even his warnings were subtle.

'Jack's going out with them tonight Ramon. I told him he should enjoy the whores.' Hector was grinning and his brother smiled at him.

'Ahhh yes, they're quite good. But something tells me you won't like doing that, am I right Jack?'

'Well…' i_Careful/i_. 'I haven't made a habit of it in my life. I'm not against the idea though.'

'You see Hector? A man of principals.' There was a gentle mocking in his tone and Jack got the impression he was treading on thin ice. But there was nothing he could do, he couldn't just change the subject.

'Principals are for weak people. Are you weak Jack?' Hector was glaring now and he was thankful when Ramon laughed loudly and saved him from having to answer.

'Now now Hector. He is American and you know how they can be. I'm sure Jack is as capable of fucking around as the rest of us. And now – how ready would you say the men are?'

He breathed a silent sigh of relief. Work was easy to talk about. 'They're getting much better. How ready they are depends on what you want to use them for.'

He was handed another drink and Ramon sat down. 'We know that one of our Bolivian rivals is moving some of their raw product into the area next week. Sometimes they bring it here to process before sending it on into the US to distribute. It's usually when their crop has been good and they haven't got the manpower to deal with it on their farms. Obviously, we don't want them to feel they can come here at will and employ men in the area to work for them - it's that sort of thing that encourages unrest. But naturally, we want their product. We have taken it from them in the past but they still feel they can come here on occasion. This is good. As long as they keep coming here, we will keep taking it. However, we have suffered losses in the past and they have managed to escape with the product on occasion.'

'So you're saying that you want to take the uncut drugs but not damage them so badly that they won't come back?'

'Exactly. If they feel they can come back, we get a lot of free supplies. Will the men be able to cope with this?'

'I assume they fly in?' Ramon nodded. 'How many men with them?'

'Usually about fifteen.'

'And do they drive far after they've landed?'

'No, only for about an hour.' Jack's mind was ticking over and it amused Ramon to see the way he thought and analysed the information.

'Do we know what night this will be happening?'

'Next Thursday is most likely. We will find out for definite within the next few days.'

'Then our best option is probably to attack the plane.'

'Really? Charlie led the last raid and he attacked the vans after they left the landing strip.'

'Did he use explosives?'

'Yes.'

'And did all the product survive?'

'No it didn't.' Ramon had to fight to keep from laughing out loud. He'd had Charlie beaten pretty hard for the losses, the man had been unconscious for two days. He was enjoying the fact that Jack could see the flaws in the other mans plans already.

'That's why it's best to hit the plane. If we attack in transit, we'll lose a lot of the stuff. If we wait until it gets to its destination, we'll have a whole lot of extra people to worry about. Plus, I don't think I've got enough time to train enough people properly with explosives between now and then. But I'm sure I can show a few of them how to use a sniper rifle. We can practise the ground assault through the week if you have a map of the area that I can look at. Or I can go and check the area myself if you prefer. But yes – I can have them ready in time. They learn fast.'

Ramon couldn't stop the laugh this time. Jacks confidence was complete and total and it was beautiful to watch. Even Hector looked impressed with it. There wasn't an ounce of fear or hesitation in the man at all. 'That's all I wanted to know Jack. We'll discuss it more fully tomorrow and I'll have a map of the area for you to look at. Come by in the morning, around ten and we'll go through it. Now go out and have a good time.' He watched the man nod and stand up. 'And Jack?' The blue eyes met his. 'If you feel the urge to let your principles slip a little this evening, neither of us will tell anyone. Your secret will be safe with us.'

He laughed harder as the man actually blushed a little before he bade them goodnight and left the room.

'You see Hector? There is no weakness there.'

Hector had been laughing too but he felt compelled to answer that. 'Oh no Ramon, no weakness. Well, until you show him a needle of course…' He watched as his brother stopped laughing and scowled at him. 'Don't give him too much credit just yet, that's all I'm saying. He hasn't shown his true colours to us, I think.' He walked to the door. 'Come on, dinner will be ready.'

Ramon stood slowly and placed his glass on a table. i_But I like that particular weakness Hector. It'll put him right where I want him, can't you see? He'll be mine, before he even realises what's happening. And I'll never let him go…/i_


	8. Cum Tacent, Clamant VIII

Chapter VIII

The small bar was crowded by the time their group all filed in. There were about twenty of them altogether and they were a rowdy group. It wasn't surprising, when Jack had walked back into the bunkhouse practically every flat surface was covered with some kind of white powder. He'd declined to join in. Not only because it would look bad but also for health considerations – coke and speed didn't mix well with heroin. The former sped up your heart and the latter slowed it down so mixing them and taking a 'speedball' would eventually make your heart just stop. And he'd had enough heart problems, he couldn't risk it. No high was worth that.

He'd waited quietly until they'd all loaded up with their drug of choice and then they'd piled into a few trucks and headed for the nearest town which was about half an hour away. The guys were already talking about the women there and the local men they had grudges with, so Jack thought he had a pretty good idea of how this evening was going to end up. He was high himself but still tired, and the thought of a long evening of this just made his head hurt. He wanted some peace.

A few hours passed. Rounds were bought, music blared from the jukebox and the place was filled with raucous laughter. Jack sat in the middle of the group and tried to look like he was having a good time. He didn't have to buy many drinks, the men took care of that. He just kept knocking them back and prayed for a quiet that he knew he wouldn't get.

'Hey Jack!' Pietro leaned over drunkenly and his eyes were glazed and unfocused. 'That girl over there can't keep her eyes off you. Go for it man!'

He looked up and met the dark eyes of a beautiful woman standing at the bar. 'She just got here – someone's gonna hit on her soon if you don't.'

Jack stood up and the men who weren't chatting to women or buying more drinks all cheered. He looked around at them and suddenly, the place was too loud to bear anymore. 'I don't think so guys. I'm gonna get some air.' They stopped laughing and stared at him. Was he nuts? He didn't explain though and just walked out, leaving them muttering to each other.

Outside, he leant against the wall of the building and let his head fall against the bricks. That probably wasn't smart. They'd all be talking about it now. But he just wasn't interested in a quick fuck in a dirty room somewhere and he couldn't help that. He might not have been able to physically manage it anyway – heroin killed the libido. He let it go. It wasn't important. What _was_ important was finding a phone. It was 1am now, that made it 11pm in LA. Tony got off at midnight tonight.

He started walking around the streets of the small town, lighting a cigarette as he did so. It was a warm night and there was no one about, hell, most people were probably getting wasted. There were quite a few bars around and every one of them seemed to be full, judging by the noise coming from them as he passed by. He spotted a gas station that was closed for the night and headed over there – he didn't want people around when he called in and the place was well lit enough so that he could see that there was no one hiding in shadows nearby, listening in. He looked around – all clear, so he picked up the phone and dialled.

'Almedia.'

'Hey, it's Jack. We're clear to talk.'

'Jack, where the hell have you been? Your third back-up slot was yesterday and you missed it. I've had a hell of a job convincing Hammond not to send the cavalry down there.'

'Third? Tony, it was the second slot I missed yesterday. That's why I'm calling now - do you have any idea how dangerous it was to involve Chavez in this? Shit, he called and I had to talk to him with Ramon and Hector standing two feet away from me. You could've got me killed. All he had to do was say the wrong thing and I'd have caught a bullet. Don't _ever_ do that again!'

Tony listened to his voice and he pinched the bridge of his nose with worry. But shouting wouldn't help here. 'Jack, you've missed a day somewhere. Yesterday was the third slot. I had no choice but to use Chavez, otherwise you'd be out by now.' _And we'd have nothing_, he didn't add.

Jack was frantically doing calculations in his head and he broke out in a cold sweat as he realised that yes, he'd fucked up. _Oh shit_. 'Tony…'

'What's going on man?' His voice was cold. Jack leant his head on the top of the callbox and closed his eyes.

'Things are OK. I'm getting there. They're starting to trust me a bit.' _God, I'm sorry I snapped. Tony, I don't know what's going on…I honestly thought it was the second slot yesterday._

'Specifics Jack.'

He was angry and Jack straightened on hearing his tone. He let his voice become cool and businesslike. 'I'm in charge of training the men. They're having me raid a plane full of trained mercenaries next week, accompanied by ten kids who barely know one end of a gun from the other.' _Have I infiltrated the centre of the cartel and do I know the first name of every terrorist they're associating with? No Tony, I don't. I'm very sorry._ He stopped and drew a breath. 'Look I'm sorry alright? I thought…'

'Don't worry about it. Just remember to call in next week, OK?'

'Yeah. Oh hey, you need to put a cover in place for yourself. They asked me why Chavez was calling – I told them my brother had contacted him because I forgot our mother's birthday. So, you're a businessman who works outta New York. You're not much like me and you're pretty successful. Make sure you use Antonio on everything official.'

He had to laugh at that. 'You told them we were brothers?'

'Well, I didn't really have much choice under the circumstances, I had to tell them something.'

'Yeah yeah, OK. I'm sorry.' He hesitated and lost the chill in his voice. 'So you're doing alright?'

'I'm fine. I gotta go. I'll talk to you soon.'

He was gone and Tony replaced the receiver with a bang and looked up at Michelle, who'd been standing there the whole time. 'He thought it was the second slot, that's why he missed it.'

'He mixed up the days?' There was a note of disbelief in her voice and they were both thinking the same thing. _Jack doesn't make mistakes like that…_

'Yeah. He's probably busy.' _Jack **doesn't** make mistakes like that…_

'Yeah.'

'I'm gonna call Chappelle and let him know he's been in touch.' He wrote something down and handed it to her. 'Set up that as a cover for me would you? Use a different photograph, I don't want them knowing what I look like if they check up on it.'

She nodded and left, leaving him to sink into his chair for a moment and wonder what was happening with Jack. Something was wrong. But there was nothing he could do, so he just sighed, rubbed his neck and reached for the phone.

* * *

Jack walked for a bit more before heading back towards the bar. He couldn't stop cursing himself. He'd almost blown everything because of an amateur mistake. The most basic mistake it was possible to make. Fuck, what was the matter with him! Goddamnit! Anger swelled through him and he felt like he could choke on it, it rose up his throat and he wanted something he could take it out on, needed to get rid of it. He was walking faster now, almost running – if he couldn't fight, he would drink and hell yeah, maybe he would fuck that girl after all, why the fuck not…_Bauer, you fucking idiot! You nearly blew the whole damn operation!_

He rounded the corner and barrelled through the doors of the bar wearing a face like thunder. The noise from the people inside made a wall of sound but he pushed on through, desperate to get to the counter.

'Hey Jack!'

'What?' Charlie again, always fucking Charlie.

'We got drinks over here, c'mon.' Oh well, at least that was welcome news. He turned towards the table and slipped through the crush of people, completely missing the nod of the other man's head as he quietly identified Jack to some burly men leaning on the wall by the pool table. They nodded back discreetly. Not that discretion was really necessary – everyone in the place was trashed and either on their way to passing out or halfway into a strangers bed.

Jack downed four shots straight off and Charlie stared at him, wondering what was wrong. Well whatever, he had his instructions. 'Wanna shoot a few balls?'

'Yeah OK.' Wouldn't do any harm. He was stuck here until the other guys left anyway and playing pool would be better than sitting doing nothing.

'Cool.' Charlie bounced out of his seat and led the way through the throng. He was glad – this would give a good opportunity to start a fight. He didn't trust the intelligence of the guys Ramon had entrusted this little job to, they'd probably pick a stupid excuse to start on Jack and the man would see right through it. As he passed one of them and started racking up the balls he muttered 'Give us a few minutes, OK?' Then he pasted a smile on as Jack put his drink down on the edge of the table and grabbed a cue. 'Wanna make it interesting? Ten bucks a game?'

'Sure, if you like.'_Just shut up and play would you?_ He was still fuming at himself and just wanted something to keep his mind occupied. Ten minutes later and he was cleaning up, balls shooting down holes as he showed them no mercy. He was just bending down to sink the black when Charlie nodded at one of the guys, who quietly positioned himself behind the cue. Jack pulled it back and the end of it smacked the guy in the leg.

'Watch what you're doing gringo.'

Jack looked over his shoulder. 'Hey, you're the one standing in the way. You can see we're playing. Why don't you move?' _Don't push me man…_

'Why should I move? You should be more careful. Oh, but you're an Americano. Think you own the place…'

Jack straightened, his features frozen. Charlie saw the look in his eye and…_oh **shit**_…ice ran through his veins and he started to feel sorry for the guy that was almost twice Jack's size. _Christ that was scary…_

'What's your problem? I'm just trying to play pool here.'

The guy didn't answer, just shoved him slightly in the back. A few people in the vicinity noticed the activity and fell quiet. Then they started to shuffle backwards. Fights were common in this part of town and they knew it could get nasty. Jack didn't hesitate. His hand was still on the pool cue and it was flat on the table in front of him so he simply stepped to one side and in one fluid motion swivelled round and brought the cue with him, cracking the guy clean across the face with it. The move was so fast and powerful, the stick broke on impact and the thicker end that was still in Jack's hand made the perfect club. The guy staggered backwards, straight into the wall and he simply smacked him across the head, knocking him out.

'Hey! That's my buddy you just hit!' Another of the guys Ramon had sent lumbered in, closely followed by the third. Jack snapped his eyes up and they hesitated, suddenly not so sure of themselves. The bar had fallen silent by now and all eyes were on this blonde man that seemed to be encased in an aura of quiet menace.

'Well, if you want some of what he just got, come on.' He didn't even raise his voice.

They were torn. If they didn't, Ramon would be very angry. But on the other hand, this guy…

…fuck it. They had their instructions.

'Outside.' Jack shrugged and turned, headed for the door. The guys who worked for him got up and filed out too, followed by the rest of the bar, who weren't going to miss this.

'We got your back Jack. You want us to take 'em down for you?' Jack looked at them all. They were eager to fight but he hardly heard what they said, the pumping of anger-fuelled adrenaline was too loud in his ears.

'Stay out of it. Don't touch them.' He sounded like a robot.

Then he shrugged off his jacket and turned. The two guys looked uncertainly at each other. Was this guy crazy? But Ramon would kill them if they didn't do some damage so… the first one met Jack and tried to ignore the ice in the blue eyes, they chilled him even as he threw the first punch. But the man was gone, stepped off to the side and suddenly there was a crushing pain in his ribs as a fist landed and knuckle smacked into bone. He sagged to one side and instinctively tried to protect the injury, unknowingly leaving his face open as his right hand dropped. Then he was on his back, his jaw exploding in pain and he hadn't even seen it coming. The man was gone.

Jack walked away from the guy on the floor and advanced steadily on the other one. His eyes flickered over the large frame. _Right-handed…he's leaning into his left so he'll favour that for the jab…_ he stepped inside the man's space, inviting the punch. As it came he leant back so that it never reached his face, then bent to one side and smashed his own left straight into the man's teeth, right through the gap he'd left. There was a horrible crunching sound and the man fell backwards, a great bloody hole where his front teeth had been a few seconds before. His hands went straight to the wound, covering his mouth and Jack simply hit the back of those hands as hard as he could, forcing them against the hole, splitting the lips and causing blood to spray between the splayed fingers. The guy screamed and his eyes were wide in shock but it didn't stop this man who jabbed to the nose and broke it once, then swung a heavy right that flattened the remains of it across his cheek. Blood poured in a thick red flood and Jack just wanted more, so he hit it again and was disgusted when the man finally passed out.

He turned, not noticing the shocked silence from the crowd that surrounded them. The other guy had got up but was making no move to attack – he'd seen what Jack had done to his friend and he was scared. He'd been in hundreds of fights but this…this was different. Normally people were yelling and cheering as they watched, normally there was grappling and pushing and wrestling around as each fighter tried to gain the upper hand. This was…clinical. There was no emotion. The man was just a machine and…shit! He ducked out of the way as a fist flew in, pure instinct had moved him and so it just glanced off his ear. A faint hope sparked that maybe that would throw the man off balance so he lashed out with an arm…that was promptly caught between two strong hands and twisted against its own joint. He flailed and tried to break free but Jack had locked it up tight…then he simply kicked the mans legs out from underneath him and let his momentum break his own wrist as he fell. The scream ripped through the night and many people watching winced in sympathy.

Jack released the ruins of the arm and let it drop heavily. He looked down at the man yelling on the floor with an odd detachment. Then he looked over to where the other one hadn't woken up yet. No one moved or spoke, they just watched in horror. He walked over to his jacket and pulled it on, then moved to the man that was drowning in his own blood.

'Charlie?'

'Yes?'

'Help me turn this guy over.'

He obeyed straight away and Jack noted the fact that his face was completely white. They pushed the man onto his front so that the blood flowed out instead of in, then Jack simply said 'We're outta here. Get the guys together.'

It was still silent so they all heard anyway. There was a quiet movement into the bar where they all grabbed their coats and then they left silently, following behind Jack as they headed for the trucks.

* * *

Ramon stood and looked out from behind the blinds as he heard the trucks approaching. He'd waited up to find out what happened and he was expecting to have to call the doctor out again for Jack. Hector stared up from the sofa with a grin on his face.

'They probably killed him, y'know?'

'We'll see.' Ramon was far tenser than he cared to admit. He didn't want Jack to fail but at the same time, he wanted to know that he was fallible too. He watched as men spilled out of the vehicles. There didn't seem to be any of the normal laughter and joking around and it was strange. They were too quiet. _Shit, maybe they really did kill him._

He picked up his phone and called Charlie. Just three words came out 'Get over here,' before he hung up again. He saw them all enter the bunkhouse but one man lagged behind and then turned and jogged in the direction of the house. He moved from behind the blinds and went to stand by the fireplace. Charlie came in a couple of minutes later.

'Well?' The guys face was white and his eyes were a bit wild. 'Come on man! What did he do?'

'What did he do? He took them apart is what he did.' He stopped and swallowed, the awful sound of crunching bone still loud in his ears. 'One started on him when we were playing pool and he just knocked him clean out. Then he asked the other two if they wanted some of it. They went outside and Jack just…he just finished them. Didn't take a single hit. Shit, he didn't even break a sweat. It was incredible.'

Ramon stared. He didn't know where to cheer or break something. _He didn't take a single hit_. Those guys were supposed to be tough – all three of them vastly outweighed Jack. It shouldn't have been that easy. 'He was sober when he did this? And they were drunk?'

'No. They hadn't been in the bar long and they were drinking beer. Jack had been knocking back shots for hours. But it didn't seem to affect him. He just went…cold. Like ice or something. As soon as they started, he just seemed to click off and…I don't know how to describe it. It was kinda scary,' he finished lamely. There was no way he could get across what he meant. The menace that had Jack had exuded, without saying a word, the total lack of fear, the complete failure to back down for even a millisecond. 'Ramon, I was a Marine for ten years. I've worked for you for a year – I've never seen anything like what I saw tonight. I mean it. He didn't do anything excessive, he didn't go crazy and kill them – he easily could have – he just…put them down, no fuss and with a lot of pain involved. The whole thing lasted about five minutes.'

Ramon didn't know what to say. This wasn't what he had been expecting to hear at all – but part of him was pleased about it. He looked down at Hector, who was frowning. 'OK Charlie. Go now. Be here at ten in the morning and bring him with you.'

The man nodded and left, leaving Ramon feeling uncertain for the first time. Charlie had never reacted like that about _anyone_ before, and he'd seen quite a few people come and go.

'Sounds like you were right Ramon. When you said 'Lord knows what else he can do.' Sounds like he can do a lot of things.'

'Yes.'

'Are you happy with the outcome?'

'I don't know. I didn't think it would be that easy for him.'

Hector got up. 'I'm going to bed. I think you need to think of something else to test your boy with.' He walked out, leaving Ramon confused and in a contemplative mood. Jack was more of an enigma than ever.

* * *

The week passed quickly. They were all planning for the attack on the plane as well as fulfilling the regular ranch duties. Jack had picked twenty men to accompany him on the raid and Hector was going too. He didn't do this kind of thing very often, but Ramon wanted the opinion of someone he could trust. They made it clear to Jack that he was in charge and that they wanted to see what he could do, Hector was only going to observe. He had simply nodded when they told him this, his eyes distant. He had withdrawn almost completely since the fight and Ramon was getting frustrated. He was running out of ways to try and reach him. Being nice didn't seem to be working and he didn't want to have to be really nasty, not yet. Jack wasn't tied in enough, he might just walk away. And he certainly didn't want that. Didn't want to kill him either.

He'd watched the men around him as they trained that week and it was obvious that nearly all of them were treating him with awe. Especially the ones who had witnessed this fight. They did everything he asked, they even called him 'sir', even after he told them not to. And they worked for him, harder than ever. It was incredibly annoying to see. They were afraid of him but respected him too - and the respect was a separate entity from the fear. It was vastly different from the way they were with himself and Hector. They flinched if either one of them so much as looked at them hard. When Jack looked at them, they seemed to swell with pride. They didn't seem to think that he'd randomly hurt them if they did something wrong. He was patient and polite when he spoke and it just seemed to make them like him more. They did what he asked because he _asked_ them, not told them. They did it willingly.

Ramon had broken almost a complete dinner set and three vases this week. He couldn't seem to help it. He would watch another of the simple-minded creatures running around after Jack and his anger would swell and demand to be let out somehow. And yet – whenever he spoke to the man, he stayed as calm as ever on the surface. When Jack was in front of him, all quiet and almost fucking _serene_, a picture of modesty and obedience – he couldn't quite bring himself to let go and hit him. Not because he was afraid of him fighting back and hurting him, Ramon couldn't give a shit about personal injury – but because it seemed almost impolite, in a fucked up way. As though losing his cool in front of a man of ice would somehow make him look stupid. So Jack was calm and he was calm and their conversation danced around each other – only Ramon wanted to grab him and shake him and hit him, just to get a reaction, while Jack just…stood. No emotion whatsoever.

He bit down hard on his cigar. He had to break this man. He _had_ to. He was starting to feel like a fool whenever he was around him and it couldn't go on. He would _not_ be made to feel ridiculous.

He knew he was being irrational. Jack was only doing what he was asked. He wasn't overstepping any boundaries, he was subservient in his manner and he worked harder than anyone. _But he wasn't scared_.

It couldn't go on.

* * *

Jack sat alone on his bunk the night before they were due to hit the plane. Fear gripped him and almost overwhelmed his mind. Not because of the raid, that should be easy enough if everything went to plan. But he couldn't get it out of his head, that phone call with Tony. He couldn't comprehend the fact that he had been mere hours away from blowing everything. Even when he was a rookie, he'd never made a mistake like that – and the stakes here were very, very high. He couldn't believe that he'd let it happen and the thought tore at him. _You're losing it Bauer. You forgot what you're doing here._

He hadn't touched heroin since that night. A good thing too – he'd found himself wanting it the next day and his muscles ached when he didn't take it. That was the first sign of withdrawal symptoms and he was lucky really – he'd probably still be using if it hadn't happened and he'd be well on his way to being completely hooked. So at least one good thing came out of it.

But that one mistake was affecting him and he couldn't seem to help it. It was with him all the time and he was scared in case he did something like it again. The safest way of making sure he didn't blow his cover was to withdraw and stay focused on one task at a time – but that could end up hurting him more than anything. Ramon was treating him coolly and surely he'd get annoyed with his aloof behaviour before long? That could mean that he was either out on his ear, or dead. Most likely dead. But he couldn't seem to bring himself to join in again, just in case he got too caught up in work and forgot his job. It was turning into the ultimate catch22 situation and he was locked in stasis for fear of making the wrong move.

He needed to concentrate on the plane. Get that out of the way first. He'd do as good a job as he could and then take it from there. It was all he could do. But it didn't stop the fear. He pulled his knees up to his chest and held them close to his body. _What the fuck is going on…

* * *

_

The snipers were in place. Those jobs had gone to Pietro, Javier and Hector. Mainly so that the latter could take out a few men and then observe through his night-vision binoculars when they moved in on the ground. He wanted to be able to see everything that went on.

The plane had been standing for a few minutes. The jeeps had rolled up to it and everything was being unloaded. Hector spoke to Jack and counted 13 men in total, Jack confirmed that that's what he had too. As soon as the product had all left the plane, Jack gave the go and the snipers rang out, taking out six men almost instantly. They hadn't had time to get into the cars and the pilots hadn't started to ready the plane for takeoff yet. Jack had planned it perfectly – they were sitting ducks.

Hectors job complete, he raised the glasses and watched the action. Jack's team led from the front and engaged the men straight away, firing from the sides to catch the targets in a crossfire, then moving when the survivors of the initial assault started to regroup. Charlie led the backup team and they came in from the rear, taking over the action when Jack called his team to move. It was nothing short of a massacre and it was over before it had begun.

He focused his binoculars on Jack. The man had led without fear and did everything he could to ensure the safety of his team. It was planned to perfection, he had to admit. Yes, they had known the location of the drop-off and had had time to plan. But they'd had that information in the past too, and they'd always lost at least one man during the attack. But this had been razor-sharp in its execution, carried out with a minimum of fuss, nobody had got hurt and they'd secured the entire haul, which would probably be worth a couple of million dollars at least.

He let the binoculars drop. He was massively impressed, he wasn't ashamed to admit. Jack had gone a long way tonight to convincing Hector that he was what Ramon thought he was – a potential third partner. Not an equal one obviously, this was a family business – but yes. Maybe he would one day be trustworthy enough to get a slice of the pie. As long as he didn't forget his place.

He pulled himself up out of the grass and threw his weapon into the back of the truck, then drove down to meet up with his men. He was grinning. It had been a perfect evening.

Jack smiled as the men clapped each other on the back and laughed out loud. Their adrenaline levels were high, as was natural after a thing like this. He let them get it out for a minute or so, then ordered them into the trucks. They'd take these three vehicles back to their own vans where they'd meet Hector, then they'd all drive back together. There was sure to be a party later, if Hector was happy with it all of course.

He was relieved it had gone well, it couldn't really have gone much better. But he was nervous too – now he didn't have this to focus on anymore. He sighed and climbed into the passenger seat of the lead van, sharing a handshake and a smile with Charlie along the way. He could only keep going, that's all he could do. There was no way out of here until the job was done, so that was that.

* * *

Ramon waited for them to return, pacing in agitation. Hector had left his phone behind at the gentle insistence of Jack. Even if it was switched off, he wanted nothing that could cause a distraction. He said that if people were even thinking about a call they were expecting, it could affect their concentration. They humoured him, even though they thought it was stupid – they had told him he was in charge after all. Besides, he said he wanted no risk of anything interfering with the radio frequencies. 

Eventually there were the sound of trucks and he left the house to stand on the porch. Loud laughter and even some singing came from the vehicles and he grinned – it had obviously gone well. Hector pulled up across the square from the house, most of the others drove straight into the barn slightly down the track. And one stopped outside the bunkhouse. Charlie could be heard saying 'We'll take care of the unloading, go report in.' He sounded happy.

Hector got out of his truck and leant against it with a broad grin on his face. Ramon smiled back at him. Then they both looked over to where Jack was getting out of the other van. It drove off and left him standing there, a small figure alone in the darkness.

By some strange coincidence, they all started moving at the same time. It was almost eerie that they all walked in silence and met at the same moment. They stood for a moment and just looked at each other. Then Hector threw his head back, laughed loudly and pulled Jack into a hug. He grinned and returned it, and never took his eyes away from Ramon's. The dark pools stared back at him and they sparkled with exuberance – but there was something deeper in them, something that made Jack wonder…

Hector let him go and Ramon pulled him close. He tried not to tense under the pressure of the man's arms. But he was held in and the voice spoke quietly in his ear 'Well done Jack. You will soon be one of us,' and it was all he could do to keep from tearing away and running and running and never looking back.


	9. Cum Tacent, Clamant IX

Chapter IX

'So, what now?'

Ramon didn't answer, he just stared out into the night. It was hot, as usual, and the humidity added weight to the air that seemed to press down on everything. Including his thoughts.

Everything seemed different and it was because of this man. When he first met him, he had thought he would be a challenge but that he'd be breakable, like everyone else was. As time had passed though, he'd seen that Jack would not be that easy. He still had plans for him, of course he did, but now he didn't know if they were the right ones. Because even though he desperately wanted to see some measure of fear in those eyes – he didn't want to lose him either. He wanted to dominate him – but he wanted to see his full potential realised as well. And he couldn't do both, not for long anyway. If he overwhelmed him with pain and fear for any length of time, the man would hold something back from him and would remain a subordinate forever. And for some reason, that thought didn't please him.

Maybe he could do enough so that Jack would see what he was capable of, but not enough so that he would want to walk away. Not that he would be allowed to walk away – but Ramon didn't want to kill him. The prospect of all he could add to the business was too tempting for that. He ran his hand over his face and let out a deep breath. He hadn't come across a dilemma like this in over thirty years.

And it wasn't just the business that he could add to either. Ramon had looked at Jack that evening as he'd been embracing Hector, he'd stared into the blue eyes and he had seen something, for the first time. It was cold, and brutal, and he'd felt like he was seeing himself mirrored there. He'd known in that moment that they were alike, and it had pleased him beyond measure. But he'd stopped looking inside himself years ago. He didn't have to to know that he wouldn't find much humanity there. And he liked that about himself – but there was humanity in Jack. He could see it and it interested him. It was in the way he talked to the people beneath him, the way he didn't lash out for no reason and seemed to listen to what people said to him. He had been relieved that none of the men had been hurt tonight – Ramon wouldn't have cared if they'd lost all of them.

But he cared that Jack had made it. He hated to admit it, but he did. He had been happy when the man had survived the fight and happy when he was safe tonight as well. He had found himself _wanting_ Jack to pass these tests. He wanted him to do well, so that he would have an excuse to raise him higher in the business. He wanted him close, so that he could try and figure him out, he needed to understand what was going on in that head that always seemed so clear.

There might be a way to do it. It had been nagging in his mind for a week now and it wouldn't leave him alone. He stared out of the window. Was this too soon? Perhaps. But he wasn't a patient man and he didn't want to have to think like this any longer. There was really no other option. He put down the cigar he'd been toying with and sighed heavily.

'Hector…hablamos esta noche la verdad.'

At these words, Hector sat bolt upright, his eyes wide. He had only heard Ramon utter them once before in his life – they were part of the family history and were as sacred to the Salazar's as words carved in stone. _Tonight we speak the truth…_

'What's going on Ramon?'

'Do you agree?' His brother's eyes challenged him.

'Yes of course. Hablamos esta noche la verdad.' He repeated them back and the oath was taken. It meant they would be completely honest with everything they said from now until sunrise. It was an ancient tradition, handed down from father to son for more years than any of them could remember – and you never lied during the night you said the words. Tomorrow, everything would be as normal – but tonight they were equals.

Ramon came and sat opposite him, moving heavily as though he were carrying a great weight. Hector looked at him and felt completely confident about asking any question. Ramon would not lie.

'Is this about Jack?'

'Yes.'

'Tell me.'

'I have spent the week watching him and it has been driving me crazy. He is not afraid of me Hector. Or you. I cannot see anything behind his eyes and I don't like it. But at the same time – I admire what he has been doing. The men respect him because they like him, not because they are scared of him. They will work for him and do anything he asks.'

'They will do anything we ask too.'

'But for different reasons.'

Silence fell for a moment as they both mulled that over. Then Ramon sighed and reached for a bottle of hundred year old Scotch. He poured them both a hefty measure.

'So what are you saying?'

'I think he wants to be here. Regardless of all the shit, the drugs, the fights, the subservience he pretends to mean – he wants to work for us. And I don't want to let him go.'

'There's no denying he'll be an asset to us. But how will we know if we can trust him? I know you talked last week of keeping him in mind for the future – what's changed?'

Ramon let out a long breath. 'I have been thinking about nothing else. It's eating at me. More than anything, I want a reaction from him. It doesn't have to be fear. It just has to be – _anything_, that isn't the blankness he gives me now. But I can't beat it out of him. You heard what Charlie told us – he's a machine when he fights. You know what you saw tonight. He plans everything meticulously. He's even stopped taking the drugs. There doesn't seem to be any way to reach him and that's what I want. It's the only way we're ever going to know if he's for real.'

'Why is it so important to you? Why him?'

'Because I can't remember the last time anyone challenged me Hector. People are normally easy, or they break when I put them to the test. But we both know he won't. Not with what we usually do to them. I had planned…_more_, for him. But for once, I am unsure. I think he will be able to take whatever we throw at him. He just doesn't seem to care what people might do to him. And a man without fear could be very dangerous to us. Or very useful. Or maybe…maybe he just fears different things.'

He could hardly believe he was saying this. Ramon prided himself on knowing his own mind and being able to see into anyone. But this man – it was like there was nothing to see. Except his actions said that there was everything to see, it was just hidden. And he hated things that were kept from him. Secrets gave other people power over him. He wanted to know it all.

Hector watched his brother and began to get worried. This was turning into an unhealthy obsession. But at the same time, he saw his point. Jack could be the catalyst for great things, things that would let them rule all the other cartels once and for all. There was also the potential for ruin. He rubbed at his face and wondered what to do for the best. Ramon wouldn't let this go, he wouldn't rest until he had beaten this man somehow. And from what he'd seen of Jack – beating him meant killing him. And neither of them wanted that.

'Why don't you ask him?' The way that Ramon's head didn't move meant that his brother had already thought of this. It was probably what this had been about – he wanted to hear from Hector that it was OK to go ahead. And the more he thought about it, the more sense it seemed to make.

'You would be alright with that? It hasn't been done since you came of age.'

'Ramon, this will not leave you alone. And if it doesn't, we will lose him.'

'It's a gamble.'

'Yes. But ultimately, not one that will end us, no matter what the outcome. If he loses, then things return to the way they were. And if we win, we all win. Jack included. You will have what you want and maybe he will too – assuming that it's our employment that he wants.'

Ramon picked up his glass and eyed the transparent liquid inside. The light shone through the amber hue and threw sparkles in all directions that glinted off his face. He smiled at his brother and Hector raised his glass. They made a silent salute and threw back the scotch, oblivious to the burning in their throats.

'I'll go and talk to him. I'll be back before sunrise.' They stood and shared a quick embrace before Ramon left the room. Hector wondered if the same man would return.

* * *

Jack sat on his bunk in his normal position, his back against the wall, his knees drawn up and his head resting on the wood behind him. His hair was wet from the shower he'd just taken and water dripped from the back of his head, it ran down his neck and made his T-shirt stick to his skin. The air was hot and clingy and it had weight. It pressed on him and trapped him with his thoughts.

The men were still celebrating in the next room, relaying every shot fired to the ones who hadn't been there, and now wished they had. The story was getting wildly exaggerated but Jack didn't care. He tuned them out and let his mind drift around aimlessly.

Tonight had to have helped him. It had gone off without a hitch and they had stolen a lot of uncut drugs that would be worth a lot of money. It had been easy really and he felt no qualms about the people he'd killed. He was glad that everyone in the team had been alright and was proud of the job they'd done. It struck him as ironic that he was happy about the way they were progressing, considering his long-term goal here. By the time he was finished, they'd all probably be in jail or dead. He wished he hadn't grown to like them.

The raid was not what was bothering him. What was bothering him was afterwards, in the courtyard, when the three of them had stood together and no words had needed to be said. It just seemed to…fit. They worked well together. They had all just seemed to understand somehow. And he had stood there and allowed himself to be embraced and that had felt _right_. And then Ramon had spoken those words and he'd felt like he was trapped. Fear had almost overwhelmed him and he was glad that Ramon couldn't see his eyes. Because he'd forgotten for a moment, again, that he wasn't supposed to feel good about being successful tonight. But he did. He'd felt like he was part of something. It had been a long time since he'd felt that.

_You will soon be one of us_. That was what he'd said. And Jack remembered that he was _supposed_ to become 'one of them' – but it scared him. It had felt too right in that moment. He had tried to tell himself that it was good that he was making progress – but all logic was drowned out by the moment. He just knew that for a second there, he'd been accepted in some way he didn't understand. And he'd liked it.

He couldn't even blame heroin for the mess in his head. He was clean at the moment. He repeated over and over to himself…_You're doing your job. Be happy. You're getting somewhere. That was what you wanted, right?_ But he couldn't escape the fact that his mandate from CTU had been the last thing on his mind. For a while there, he really had been Jack Michaels, member of the notorious Salazar cartel.

It was a good thing. He was getting somewhere. _Just don't forget what you're really doing here man…_

And there was Ramon. Always watching him. He felt drawn to him in a way he couldn't describe. Maybe it was because he found it hard to anticipate what he would do next. He was like a sleeping volcano – the heat was right there, just under the surface, but it didn't explode very often. Not so far anyway. He'd expected more – every report he'd read spoke of the man's volatility. He'd seen it sometimes – a few guys had been the subjects of public beatings for whatever reason. But never with Jack, not since that first night here. Since then, it was nothing but those eyes following him. Sometimes he seemed relaxed, sometimes just cool – but the surface was rippled and you couldn't see underneath. He didn't know what the man really thought of him, beyond the fact that he thought he was doing a good job.

Except tonight. He'd seen something when he looked into him. There had been a glitter in the blackness and Jack suddenly knew that Ramon was more than curious. There was bemusement there – but he was bemused at himself. Ramon wanted something from him, and wasn't used to the feeling. And he wouldn't stop until he got it. Got everything probably.

_Well, I least I piqued his curiousity_. But it worried him more than he cared to admit. For a start, there was obviously no way he could let Ramon know everything. He had to be more careful than ever that he didn't give anything away. But he would have to let go a little bit. The more he held back, the more Ramon would watch him, it would probably end in violence or worse. And that would not be productive to the mission. He would have to let him in a little.

And that was the crux of it all. Jack finally admitted to himself what he was really scared of. Ramon would not stop at knowing a little. He would try and take it all. That would be fine, as long as he just gave him Michaels. _But what if I can't stop him taking more…_ The moment in the courtyard came back to him again. Ramon had got something from him then and he hadn't been able to stop it….

_Oh stop this_. He was being melodramatic. Ramon was just a man and there was no connection

_(liar)_

between them. He would go back to work tomorrow

_(if you break the connection, you'll never get anywhere…)_

and go on as normal and it would all be fine.

He wanted to move and get into bed, but he couldn't. The adrenaline from earlier had worn off but he wasn't tired. Instead, there was an energy in the air around him and he felt like he was waiting for something. Some part of him knew that something was going to happen and he couldn't just go to sleep and ignore it. So he just sat, head back, eyes closed, and waited for him to come.

* * *

The men in the bunkhouse fell silent as he walked in. The place was a mess, bottles – either empty or on their way there – littered the floor and coke and speed were once again covering every flat surface. He couldn't have cared less. They stood as he walked through and he ignored every one of them. His eyes were intent on the ragged curtain at the other end of the narrow room. He could feel Jack in there. He knew he was waiting. There was an invisible barrier in front of that curtain and none of the men even thought of crossing it. But he would, because he could.

He found him sitting, as he knew he would. His eyes roamed over the figure, taking in the way his head had fallen back, the closed eyes, the arms that rested languidly on the knees. But he wasn't sleeping. Ramon felt the air in the room thicken and he knew he didn't have to speak.

Jack felt him standing there. He had felt him coming, even before the sudden silence in the main room had signaled his presence. He saw him in his mind, getting ever nearer and the tension was almost unbearable by the time he opened his eyes and looked straight into the black ones that had first roamed over his body as he sat. Neither spoke, and after a moment, Jack got up and followed him out. The murmuring that had started among the men stopped once again as they walked silently through, every man knowing that something was going on and they didn't dare make a sound or a movement that would intrude on the space of these two men who suddenly seemed as untouchable as the stars.

They walked without speaking, side by side. There was a small house at one end of the compound that Jack had never been into and it was to there that they headed. The night was quiet, the air thick and unmoving. It allowed them to pass through but not without adding its weight to their own, making thought slow and unhurried. Neither broke the silence because at this point, that would be wrong. Jack knew that this was going to be important and for now, just let it be. Ramon let his mind move around the quiet knowledge that, somehow, he just _knew_ that Jack wouldn't say no. But he didn't push it. There would be a long conversation first and the words would come when they were needed.

He'd never felt a night like this before.

There was no anger in him, for the first time that he could remember. Maybe it was the oath sworn with Hector earlier, maybe it was because he knew that he would finally get some sort of reaction from the enigma that walked beside him. Whatever the reason, he didn't think about it. He would be back to normal soon enough – tonight was allowed. This was important.

He unlocked the house and walked inside. It was clean and aired but hot, because the air conditioning wasn't on. He left it off and just switched on a lamp in the living room which caused a low light to be spread over the room. He felt Jack sit down behind him as he walked to the liquor cabinet and retrieved two glasses and a bottle of whiskey.

Jack watched him and didn't bother trying to read him. This wasn't a normal night and everything he got from Ramon wouldn't fit with his normal personality. Unknown territory in a way…and somehow, this wasn't about his mission. It was something else. It might help his mission but that wasn't really the point of this. He didn't know how he knew that.

'I spoke to my brother earlier. He knows what is going on.'

Jack accepted his drink, and the information, without words. So, Hector approved of whatever this was going to be.

'The day we met, Jack, I thought you were going to be useful to my business. I was not wrong, you proved that tonight. You have been proving it for five weeks now in fact.' He sat down. 'We need to talk about where you are going with us.'

Jack nodded and took a drink, the fire that blazed down his throat just seemed to increase the temperature of the room.

'But first, I need to talk to you about other things. You should know that I would like the truth from you but…' Something compelled him to acknowledge the next part and he couldn't stop himself. '…I realize that I can't force you to tell me that which you don't wish to.'

The clear eyes turned upwards to meet his. They were unguarded and open.

Jack stared at the man opposite and saw that he was simply stating the truth and that he wasn't angry about it. Whatever this was, Ramon was conceding a part of his power. _What does he want in return…?_

'I inherited this business from my father. He was a great man Jack. He taught me everything I know. Everything I knew at that point in my life anyway. From him, I learned that power is everything. If you have enough power, you can truly be free. No one will question you, everyone will do as you demand. And he was right. But there are times I believe, when it is better to ask than demand. I think you understand that. It is what you do with the men you train, the ones who are not fit to polish your boots.'

_No one's fit to polish my boots Ramon. We should all polish our own._

'I can remember a time, a short time, when I behaved in a similar way. I was learning the business and I spent time doing what you are now. It's nice isn't it, when you get on well the men? I enjoyed being part of a team like that. But in the end, I knew I would be more than they were. It was only temporary. So I enjoyed it and then moved on. I knew that they were never really comrades, because I would be their boss and they wouldn't obey me because they wanted to, but because they had to. What I am asking here Jack is – can you move on like that? Can you leave them behind and become more?'

Jack looked at him. 'I can, if that's what you want me to do Ramon.'

'Well, maybe I do. You impressed us all tonight Jack. You've impressed us since you've been with us.' He stopped and tapped his ring on the rim of his glass. The small sound seemed to sing through the room. 'But you like the comradeship of the men don't you? It is obvious.'

'I do. I like to see them doing well.'

'Hmmm. Tell me something. You have stopped taking the drugs, haven't you? Why is that?'

'I didn't want them to impair my ability to work. I want to do well here and I felt like they were slowing me down.'

'And yet, since you have stopped taking them, you've become even quieter than you were before. That's unusual. Normally when a person stops taking heroin, they open up a little. It has had the opposite effect on you.'

_Because I scared myself out of my mind Ramon…_

'So, I want to ask you a question that I already asked you once, on the day we met. I would like the truth this time. But once again, I will not force it from you.'

Jack was surprised by his soft tone of voice, it was relaxing. But he wasn't trying to lull him into a false sense of security – the words were sincere. He knew it. He also knew that if he closed up now, he would lose whatever _this_ was.

'Why did you start taking drugs Jack? A man like you – surely you don't need them. You are not weak and you don't hide, like junkies do. Something must have happened to you.'

Jack hesitated. Yes, he could answer that. His cover gave him every reason, in case he was asked this very question.

But this wasn't what he'd expected when he'd put his cover in place. He never thought that he would be asked like this, when his answer would mean something. Even though he would lie…he would still be telling the truth. And he'd be surrendering it to this man, who had turned out to be everything he expected and a lot of things he didn't.

He dropped his eyes, then closed them. He didn't have a choice. He reminded himself that he had to open up, just a bit, in order to achieve his ends. But Christ, he didn't want to…

'Yes something happened.' His voice was quiet. Ramon felt pain coming from him and for once, got no satisfaction from it. 'Hector asked me something last week – he asked me if I'd ever been married. I didn't really tell him the whole truth, I told him I was divorced because she didn't like the army life. It's true that I'm divorced but she didn't leave me because of that.

'Then why?'

'We had a son. And he died. It pulled us apart and we couldn't put it back together again.' Ramon drew in a breath and tensed, leaving Jack to wonder why. Surely he wasn't that compassionate?

'I left the army and went to Iraq. Then one night, someone offered me heroin and I thought I might as well try it.' _You offered it to yourself on some lame excuse as using it for a cover…_ 'And it helped. It helped me stop thinking about him.'

_Her. It stops you thinking about her... _He looked up and Ramon had a strange look on his face. He looked sad. 'I only use it when I feel like I need it. People say time heals everything, but it hasn't been true for me so far. That's why I use it.' _And it helps me forget that I'd have a child that would be almost three right now…_

'What was his name?'

Jack closed his eyes. _Why did I pick this name? Tony told me I was nuts. I just wanted something that was real, something that I could relate to so I'd believe it if I had to say it. But I never thought I'd be asked…_

'Terry.'

Silence fell once again. They both sat for a moment, Jack in pain that was every bit as real as if it were Bauer sitting there. Ramon got up and walked over to the liquor cabinet. He retrieved two cigars and walked back quietly, handing one to Jack before sitting down again.

'I have lost children Jack, I know what you are feeling. Four altogether. But only one that really meant anything.'

Jack looked up and couldn't believe it. He had seen that Ramon was conceding part of his power by simply being here like this – but he'd never imagined that he would volunteer this information.

His file said that he had few living children. It said that he'd lost some, usually in gunfights. But there had been one…_oh fuck._ _Yes of course_…

'My eldest boy. He meant the world to me, I was so happy that my first child had been male. And he was everything that I had ever hoped for.'

'What happened?'

'He was taken by another group. They tried to use him for ransom. They wanted to gain control of my fathers business obviously, and they thought I would help them if they had my son.' He took a drink and Jack studied him carefully. He seemed sad but not overwhelmed by it. It had been a long time ago and obviously he'd got over it somehow.

'I didn't help them and they killed him, slowly. Years later, I found one of the people who had done it and I made him tell me everything they had done to Emanuel. Then I did the same to him, only worse. I made it last for days. It helped. But I confess Jack, that I never let myself get too attached to any of my other children in case the same thing happened again. So you see, I understand your pain. And it _will_ get easier over time. It will never go away but if heroin helps you, then do not deny yourself. And now I understand why you are quieter when you do not use it. That had puzzled me.' He lit his cigar. 'I'm glad you told me the truth.'

Jack stared down at the cigar between his fingers. He could think only of Kim, and what might have happened if he hadn't agreed to help the Drazens at first. Would he have ended up like Ramon? A man who couldn't relate to anyone else, a man who lived through his work and never let anything touch him?

His blood turned to ice in his veins. _Have I already ended up like him?_

The thought filled his head and made his stomach clench and twist. _No no no…oh shit, what's going on...?_

He lit his cigar and took a drag. This night was getting more and more surreal. _We're talking to each other the way friends do. We haven't even got to the point of all this – what does he want! Fuck, I don't know where this is going…and why do I feel close to him? Fuck…_

It felt like the incident in the courtyard all over again. It felt like they were sharing something. But it shouldn't. Jack had been using his cover, not his real story. But of course, it _was_ his real story in a way. He exhaled a lungful of smoke. _Keep it together man…this is all about infiltration. If he likes you, you'll get in. He needs to trust you. We're just talking here. _

Ramon watched as Jack finally lit his cigar and he contemplated what he'd heard. It all made so much sense now. Those dead eyes, the coldness, the drugs, the brutality when he needed it – all actions of a man in pain. He couldn't believe that he hadn't seen it before. Maybe because it was too close to what he had been himself…he'd been the same way after Emanuel had died. He'd killed more men in the month after that than he had in his whole life up until that point. He'd taken drugs too and he knew that that was the start for him, the point at which his own humanity had started to die. Not that it was something he ever gave much thought to – but he'd been thinking about humanity earlier on hadn't he? He wondered how Jack had managed to keep his so long.

And then, a thought emerged. But of course! The man hadn't had the means to work his pain out yet. He didn't have access to unlimited targets to kill, not the way that he himself had had. The thought turned itself into a thing of beauty in his head. _Give him enough rein…he will turn into me. He will be as I am, in a way that Hector never will…_

He wanted to laugh out loud but he managed to hold it in. This was just too good. All hopes that he had held at the start of this night had been exceeded beyond his wildest dreams, it was pure perfection. But he shouldn't get ahead of himself. This man had aroused feelings in him that he had thought were long dead and because of that, he was a little nervous. He felt a closeness that he had never really felt before, not to someone outside his family. And not to someone he barely knew. But it all seemed to fit. It made sense of what he'd been feeling for a few weeks now. This night had simply explained it all.

But he still had to make the proposition. He had known somehow that Jack would not refuse him but there was always room for doubt – until now. Now he knew it for sure.

'We are alike Jack. More than you know perhaps.'

_The hell we are!_

Only…they were. _Shit…_

'And now, I have to be honest with you because I am sure it's the only way you will agree to what I am going to ask you. You should know that this has not been done since Hector became my partner in this business. But I'm sure that I'm making the right choice.'

Jack sipped at his whiskey, then put it aside. He was glad they were finally getting to the point. He didn't want more questions that probed him, the closeness in the room was starting to get to him. He wanted to be free of this, not sucked in further. It was claustrophobic now, he felt like Ramon was smothering him. But the only way to keep everything on track was to sit and listen, so he did and prayed that the confusion in his mind wasn't obvious on his face.

'Normally people acquire positions of trust through proving themselves to my brother and I. It takes years usually. But with you – it is different. Hector and I talked about this a couple of weeks ago, we have known that you were someone to keep an eye on. You're too good at what you do to let you simply stagnate here. I do not want you to get bored and look for employment elsewhere.'

'I'm not interested in employment elsewhere Ramon.'

'No, not yet. But you are a man of many talents, and we can use them. There are things we do that you could not begin to imagine at the moment. Things that require trusted men. And of course – trust is the issue here. You have not been with us very long.'

'You can trust me. I work for you.'

Ramon gave a short laugh and looked into his eyes. 'Really Jack? Because you see, the thing that has bothered me most about you is that you hide things. Most men are transparent and you are not. I find it interesting, but it doesn't mean I can trust you. Quite the opposite in fact.'

'So you want me to prove it to you?'

'Yes.'

'How?'

Ramon sat back in his chair and pulled on his cigar. 'Normally, we have tests for men that we think have potential. You have already passed two – what Alviro did to you was one, and the fight at the bar the other night was another.' Jacks head rose at that. 'Yes, those men were sent by me. We didn't expect you to find it that easy, I will admit. But again, it just shows your worth.

But these are just little things, for men that we want to keep in mind. It would usually take a year or so for someone to rise to the position that you have already. You understand what I'm saying Jack?'

'You want me to do more for you, so that means that you'll test me more? Yes, I understand that.'

'That part you do. But you see, its only time that proves I can trust a man. And we have time – but I have some things planned that I would like you to help me with and they wont wait so long.' He toyed with his glass. 'How badly do you want a position of power Jack?'

His voice was soft, but loaded with…something. Jack knew that this was getting into the real heart of the matter and he was suddenly conscious of the sweat on the back of his neck and the smell of smoke that hung in the air. The room seemed even smaller and there was no sound from outside anymore, even the crickets seemed to have given up. It was like they were the only two people alive and he started to doubt that the world even existed beyond these walls.

'Power Ramon? I thought you had all the power.' His voice was rough and he measured his words.

'Don't you want to share in some of it?'

Michaels said yes. CTU rejoiced. But Bauer recoiled slightly. There was something in the way he said that that promised dark things. But it was why he was here.

'Yes, I think I do.'

'Think?'

'I do.'

Ramon eyed him, and his body language said he was telling the truth. _Christ its hot in here…_

'You cannot do what I normally have men do. Usually, I have men kill for me and they must do it without question or they fail the test. But you are intelligent. Its one reason we are here tonight. I know that if I asked you to pull a trigger on someone, you would ask me why, because smart people need reasons for doing things. And you would fail if you asked that and I would have to kill you.'

'So you want me to kill without question?'

He shrugged. 'It's irrelevant now that I've told you about it. You would do it.'

'I don't see what you're trying to say here Ramon.'

'I'm saying that all the normal things – I already know you will pass them. I need to know if I can trust you. Until I do, we can go no further.'

He leant forward in his chair suddenly and Jack resisted the urge to lean away. The glitter was back in the dark eyes and they held his gaze, until the room melted from view and there was nothing but the two of them. His heartbeat seemed to fill the air and it was all that he could hear.

'This is what I want from you. I want you to submit. I want to hear you say that you will do everything that I ask of you, without question or the need for explanation. You will never refuse me. You will never say no. I want you to agree that you are _mine_, until you have proven yourself worthy of a place at my table.'

The words hung between them and Jack knew they had crossed a threshold that they could never return from. Those words would never be unsaid and if he rejected them, he'd be killed. Ramon could never let him live if he refused.

'And how long until I have proved myself?'

He sat back, still staring into the cool blue eyes. _I've got him_. 'Do you believe in God Jack?'

'I don't know.'

'My father believed in God. And he did this very thing to me, and to Hector, that I am now doing with you. We gave ourselves to him and he said that when God decreed it, He would send a challenge. Something that we would have to do and this thing would prove our loyalty to the family and our worth to the business.'

'Was he right?' _Think Jack…_

_You cant say no. It's the only way you'll get in._

'Well, maybe he was. Four months after I submitted, I overheard a conversation in the street one day, completely by chance. It seemed that one of our rivals was going to be in a certain place, celebrating a wedding. It was an unplanned stop on a trip that he was taking. I took the information to my father and he let me lead a group of men. I killed the man myself and because of the information I got from him, we gained control of a large part of Columbia. This was back in the days when there were more small drug gangs vying for power than you can ever imagine. My actions that day gave us a foothold and we have grown from it ever since.'

'And what did Hector do?' _I don't want to give myself to you Ramon…_

Ramon laughed, a short bark that sounded like a gunshot in the still air. 'Hectors was almost funny. He was eighteen. He was driving his motorcycle along a dirt track in the middle of nowhere and it crashed. He went to look for help and came across an old farmhouse. There was a barn where some people were talking and he went to see them. But when he got there, he saw an armoury of weapons and a vast quantity of drugs. He listened to the men talking and it seemed that they were planning a raid on our ranch for the next night. He came away, walked ten miles home and then took us back there that same day. We killed almost forty men that night and made over twenty million dollars.'

He stopped talking and Jack was glad. He couldn't stop the thoughts swirling in his head. He had to say yes. There was no other way around it. But God knows what he would have to do for this man, and he could be here for years. He'd planned for that, but now he'd been here a while, it didn't seem like such an easy option.

'Who knows what it will be for you. I don't know how long it will take, it could be a long time. But whether you believe in God or not, it will happen. And your actions determine whether you are worthy of us. From now, until the time you prove yourself, you will do what I say, when I say it.

'And if I say no?'

'You leave us tonight.'

He decided to take a chance. 'Leave Ramon? You've said how much you think I'll be useful to you. And I have a hard job imagining you just letting me walk away.'

'You're an intelligent man Jack. What do you think will happen? And before you state the obvious for both of us, remember this. You will eventually have more wealth and power than you have ever dreamed of. I can give you all of that.'

_And in the meantime, I give myself to you. Willingly. You take everything I have, and I know you will, because you wont be satisfied with anything less…_

'If I say no, you'll kill me.'

He just shrugged. 'Why would you say no Jack?'

_The ultimate fucking test. I've got to hand it to you. I had expected torture. Beatings. I had expected that you would have me sell drugs, kill people, kiss your ass until I gained your trust. I expected you to kick me around and have me do horrible things._

_I didn't know you'd make me agree to them first. I didn't think you'd expect me to **like** it._

_Total. Willing. Submission. _

_And I cant say no._

_You bastard. You fucking bastard._

It felt like nothing would ever be normal again. There was no world outside this room. Ramon had him by the balls and they both knew it. But Ramon didn't know that the stakes were higher for Jack. He didn't know that he had no choice. He didn't know that he had no interest in money or power. He thought that Jack _wanted_ this. He thought he wanted to be like _him_.

'You want me to do anything you say. Anything you want. Without question. Until I prove myself.'

A pause.

'Yes.'

More silence. Jack reached for his drink and took a sip, not tasting a thing. He put the glass back down and remembered to breathe. _How can the world be this quiet…_

'Alright.'

Ramon's face split into a grin and his eyes glittered once again. Jack looked into them and immediately felt his power. He felt himself become less, just by uttering that one word and now everything was different. Now, he didn't own himself anymore. He'd never felt this vulnerable in his life.

'You made the right choice Jack. I really didn't want to have to kill you.' His mind exalted and a wave of pleasure and satisfaction ran through him. _You're mine… _

He stood up and waited for Jack to do the same. He handed him his drink and then raised a glass in a toast. 'To us Jack. And to a decision you'll never regret.' He drank deeply and as he did so, his sleeve fell back and revealed the tattoo underneath. Jack looked at it and realized that Hector had the same one and suddenly, he realized what it might mean...

He drank and felt out of his depth. But he tried to calm his nerves by reminding himself that this was necessary. This was the mission. This was what he had come here for. He just hadn't thought that ..._willing submission! Oh shit…_

'Come on. Hector is waiting, I told him I'd be back before sunrise. He'll be pleased at your choice Jack, he likes you.'

And he opened the door and walked out, proving that Jack had been wrong, there _was_ a world outside these walls. But hell, it sure felt smaller now. He followed quietly, and all he could think was that in some way that he couldn't quite pinpoint, he'd just sold out his soul to a man that was feared and reviled throughout an entire country - and he might never get it back.


	10. Cm Tacent, Clamant X

Chapter X

Hector was relieved when he finally heard the front door open. He hadn't been able to sleep so he'd come to wait downstairs in the living room. He stood when Ramon entered, followed by Jack and he could see by the smile on his brother's face that things had gone well for him. Of course, Jack was alive so they must have. He grinned back and they embraced in silence, then Hector walked over to where Jack stood quietly. He looked into the face that was as blank as always and simply held out his hand. Jack took it solemnly and that broke the seriousness of the moment, they both grinned and then Hector laughed out loud.

'I'm very glad you made the right choice Jack. I think we're going to do well working together.'

There it was again, this feeling of fitting in. He tried to ignore it but it wouldn't go away, so in the end he just left it alone. Ramon was pouring drinks and soon they stood together, all three of them, whiskey in hand. They raised their glasses in a toast and knocked the drinks back, all in silence. Then Ramon clapped him on the shoulder.

'The night is almost over, you must be tired. I need you to work tomorrow though. And there is something that must be done afterwards.' He said something to Hector in Portuguese, something that made the man nod in agreement. Jack only really understood the word 'village,' and wondered what that was about. But obviously he wasn't supposed to know yet. Ramon walked over to a cabinet, opened it and pulled out a large bag of what seemed to be small white crystals.

'Take a seat Jack. I need you alert today.' He did as he was told and Ramon sat down, emptying some of the crystals onto the smooth dark surface. He proceeded to crush them up and then cut them into lines, six in all. 'Have you ever taken anything except heroin?' Jack shook his head and Ramon smiled. 'Well, this isn't as strong but I think you'll like it anyway. And there's no danger of addiction.' He rolled up a hundred dollar bill, leaned over the table and proceeded to inhale sharply, one line into each nostril. Jack watched as he sat up and pinched the bridge of his nose, sniffing heavily. Then he grinned and passed the rolled up note over to him. 'Go on.'

He took it without question and copied what Ramon's actions. The powder felt strange as it hit the top of his nose and he did what the other man had done, sniffed heavily. The sensation made his eyes water a bit and he felt like he might sneeze, but he resisted and held it back. There was a tingling feeling that wasn't unpleasant and after a minute, he could feel the remains of the powder sliding down his throat in a sticky ball. He swallowed a few times to help it down and then he was clear…and a delicious feeling started to well up inside him. It was like an enormous swell of well-being that came from his centre and spread through his whole body and he couldn't stop the grin that broke across his face. His brain went into overdrive and he couldn't seem to slow it down, but that was OK, because he didn't want to. It was great and he couldn't wipe the smile for even a second. Hector had pulled the bill from his hand and taken his share, he leant back on the sofa beside him and closed his eyes, while Ramon poured more drinks.

'What was that?'

'Methamphetamine. We just call it ice. You like it?'

Jack paused a second while he examined how he felt. 'It's great. Really great.' It was too, he felt light and happy and wide awake. The work of the day, followed by the raid on the plane and the long hours talking to Ramon had made him tired but now, now he felt like he could go all day, no problem. 'It's not as powerful a rush as heroin but I can think better with it…'

He stopped himself talking because he suddenly felt like he could talk for hours. His brain skidded around from one topic to the next and he found himself grabbing thoughts, dissecting them in seconds and then moving on to something else and repeating the process. He looked over at Hector who was smiling quietly to himself and suddenly felt close to him, like they were really friends. But he was careful to not let it show, his speeding brain told him instantly that he had to be careful here.

Ramon pushed the bottle of whiskey towards him. 'Help yourself Jack. You won't feel like eating until it wears off but drinking will calm you down some.' It was like he knew what was going on inside his head, and that scared him for a moment but then he moved onto other thoughts. He was in no danger of revealing something he shouldn't and the two of them were relaxed right now so he should just chill and go with it for a while. Ramon and Hector started joking around about past events, seemingly happy to let him hear some things about their history and show off their close relationship. He poured another drink and sipped at it while he listened to them. The atmosphere was friendly and he leant back into the sofa and enjoyed the happiness while it lasted.

* * *

It should have been a long day but it wasn't. Work seemed easy and fun, he joked around with the guys as he ran them through some hand-to-hand combat moves. Ramon stopped by for a while and laughed himself silly at the sight of bodies flying everywhere while Jack stood in the centre of the carnage with a smile on his face. The men took it all in good humour though, they were learning things and respected Jack enough to not let his superior technique hurt their pride.

They finished about five in the afternoon. Ramon had gone back to whatever it was he did during the day and Hector had come down instead. He stopped them all as they were leaving the barn they were working in and told everyone to go and change into black clothes and meet by the trucks. Suddenly, the jovial atmosphere was gone and the men looked at each other uneasily. Jack was confused by their reactions and stopped Charlie on their way back to the bunkhouse.

'What's this about?'

'I don't know for sure. I've just heard a few rumours. And if they're right….' He stopped talking and shrugged, but didn't say anymore.

'If they're right…what?'

'Then I can't tell you about it. I'm assuming it'll be for your benefit – rumour has it you're moving up.' There was an edge in the younger man's voice that was hard to ignore. Jack stopped him and made him look at him.

'What's going on Charlie? Tell me. You sound pissed off.'

The guy stared at him with his wide blue eyes and Jack was struck once again by how young he looked. And unaffected by all the things he had to do. He'd stopped being such a pain in the butt recently, or maybe Jack had just got used to him always hanging around him. Or maybe it was the drugs, but right then, he felt bad that Charlie seemed mad at him.

'I'm not pissed Jack. It's just…well, OK, maybe I am a little. I've been here a year and I don't think I've even been considered for a promotion. You've been here five weeks and already you're spending nights drinking with them at the house. I know you're ex-military but so am I. OK, so I wasn't an officer but…' He stopped and sighed. 'Look, its nothing. Just having a frustrating day that's all. And I really can't tell you what this is about. If it's what I think it is, then I'll get in trouble if I talk to you about it.'

He made to walk on but Jack stopped him again with a hand to his arm. 'Hey look – if they're thinking of promoting me, I'll need good people to work with. I'll make sure your name is mentioned, OK?' _And don't be jealous Charlie, for Chris' sakes. You don't want to be owned by Ramon the way I am now. Shit, he hasn't asked me to do anything yet but I know he's going to and I'm not looking forward to what it might be…_

Charlie smiled and seemed relieved. 'Yeah, thanks man. That'd be good. I'd better go change.' And he jogged on, leaving Jack standing there with a strange feeling of apprehension. He started to wonder about the man as he started to walk – why was he so eager to progress? Money was an easy answer but still, he had to be doing alright for himself. Could he really be that anxious to get closer to Ramon? Didn't he worry about the things he might have to do?

He shrugged it off. He had his own shit to worry about. He got into his room and changed into black jeans and a black shirt, then went and joined the rest of the guys outside. They were quiet and didn't make eye contact with him. His uneasy feeling grew. He didn't really have time to worry about it though, because Ramon and Hector appeared suddenly and told them to get into the Jeeps. Jack was about to climb into one when he heard Ramon call his name.

'Jack, you're riding with me.' He nodded and turned. His glance happened to fall on Charlie as he moved and he was surprised at the look of anger on his face. He frowned a question at him but was ignored. It bothered him again but there was nothing he could do for now, so he just walked over to Ramon who stood next to the same Mercedes he'd seen at the farmhouse in Mexico. Someone must have driven it down for him.

'Get in Jack.' He hopped into the passenger side. Ramon slid behind the wheel and pulled away, driving slowly. He didn't seem to be in any hurry. 'You seemed to be enjoying yourself today.'

'Yeah, we had some fun. They learn better that way.'

'Yes, maybe. Just remember what I said about what it takes to move on Jack. Don't get too attached to them. Depending on how long it takes, you wont be working with them forever.' There was a firmness to his tone that Jack took note of and he reminded himself that he shouldn't do anything to piss this man off. Still, he couldn't help asking where they were going. Ramon smiled slightly. 'We're going to visit one of the villages that works for me. There's something that needs to be done.'

He didn't say anything else and Jack didn't try and break the silence that fell. He couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen. Maybe it was the way that Ramon stayed so quiet and tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as he drove. It was like he couldn't keep them still. But that was the only sign that anything was going on in his head, his body language was relaxed and there was no emotion on his face. Once again, Jack couldn't work out what he was thinking. And it bothered him that everybody obviously knew what was going on except him.

It was hot in the car, Ramon didn't switch the A/C on. Sweat started to form on his forehead and his shirt clung to his back against the leather seats. They were passing fields of crops and there were people walking along the sides of the road, obviously headed home for the day. They were all peasants and they looked poor. Jack watched them as they passed – many of them stood aside as the convoy of cars drove quietly by. They seemed respectful, as though this were a funeral procession.

Ramon caught him staring at them and smiled softly. 'Maybe one day they'll stand aside when _you_ drive down the road Jack.'

_Fuck...they respect him that much?_ 'Do they work for you?'

'Yes, all of them. They look after the crop. I don't keep enough men on the ranch to do all the manual work. The men you've been working with do some of the labour, I make them, because it reminds them not to get above themselves. You haven't yet been introduced to my real security team yet.'

Jack looked out of the window and contemplated that. He'd thought that the man he worked with were all they had for security. Finding out there were more of them intrigued him – why hadn't he seen them yet? He glanced in the side view mirror as they passed another group of workers that were standing on the verge – and was shocked to see that one old lady was crossing herself. _Oh shit. It's not respect…its fear…_

Maybe it was the speed still in his system, but Jack found his senses rising to an even more heightened level. He was aware of every vibration in the car as it bumped along the uneven road, every sound from an animal outside, every rustle of the trees. And every breath that Ramon took seemed to blow a chill directly over his skin, making goose bumps form, despite the heat. The silence grew loud, as it always seemed to when they were alone now and Jack tried to ignore it. But he couldn't ignore the tension that was forming a knot in the pit of his stomach, it was causing his blood to pulse through him at a rate that he wasn't comfortable with.

'You're nervous.'

He tried to lie. 'No. Just curious as to what we're doing.' Ramon smirked and they both knew the truth.

'You'll see. Just remember what we talked about last night and you'll be fine.'

Silence fell again and Jack stared out of the window. He didn't want to show his face to this man at the moment. Whatever this was, he had the feeling he wanted it over with as soon as possible.

He stood next to Ramon and watched in silence as the men spread out down the single street and burst into every small house. There were shouts from inside and screams of surprise and fear – every man carried an AK-47 and weren't afraid of brandishing them about. No shots had been fired yet, but it seemed to be only a matter of time. And he still didn't know what they were doing there.

Hector was walking along the dirt road, yelling orders and instructions. Whole families were being pulled out of their houses, children were crying in fear and they sounded impossibly loud in the otherwise still evening air. Ramon lit a cigar as he watched calmly and he nodded as Hector approached.

'Take all the old ones and keep them together at this end of the street. Then gather everyone else down there.' He pointed to the other end – the village only consisted of about twenty houses and there were about a hundred people, including the children, standing in the road. Jack could see almost every man standing there, holding their wives and trying to reassure their kids that everything was OK. He could see they were scared.

Javier and Pietro were leading five other men that were pointing guns at everyone over the age of sixty, or thereabouts. They were pulling them away from their families and forcing them to walk away from them – Jack could see old women crying and men staring at the ground as they walked. They seemed almost resigned to something.

'Ramon, what's goi…' He was silenced by a raised hand.

'Just wait Jack. You'll see.'

He didn't want to wait. He was seriously edgy now but there was nothing he could do, so he concentrated on keeping still and making sure his face was blank. Sweat was trickling down his back and his palms were wet - but as he stood there, a feeling of calm came over him. It was the same calm he got before a mission or a fight – when his mind closed everything out because it knew it had to accept the inevitable. He was in Ramon's hands here, there was nothing he could do to change that. So he calmed himself and just let the scene play out.

After a while, everything was quiet. It was eerie. With this many people around, there should be noise – but you could have heard a pin drop as Ramon gestured to Jack to follow him and they started down the road. All eyes were on them, he could feel it but they made no difference now. It was almost like walking underwater, the quiet blanketed all thought and seemed to muffle reality. Jack almost felt like he was floating outside his own body – it reminded him of heroin in a way. _This isn't real…_

Ramon stopped in front of the group of terrified people. He surveyed them slowly, with quiet eyes that roamed over every face, every child, every woman holding a baby. None of them met his gaze.

'I need five men.' His voice wasn't raised but it carried easily over the group. 'There's a job to be done tonight. You'll each get ten thousand pesos for your time.'

They were looking at him now and fear seemed to be receding a little. Jack could see the relief starting to spread through them and he wondered why _he_ didn't feel relieved.

'Every interested man step forward.'

No one moved for a moment but then a man kissed his wife on the cheek and moved to the front. That sparked more movement and soon every man stood there. The people were poor, they all needed the money.

'Jack, choose five. Any five, they're all fine.'

_Choose five? I don't like this…_ He had to do as he was told. Every man he looked at seemed to be begging him to pick them. He chose the ones that looked the poorest and the most underfed, the ones that looked like the needed the money most. They looked thankful and moved to one side. And then suddenly, there was a disturbance at the other end of the street. An old woman started screaming and yelling something but her voice was feeble and Jack couldn't make out the words. Ramon swung round and yelled,

'Javier! Shut her up and bring her down here.' There were slapping sounds and the woman stopped yelling, her crying could still be heard though. Jack listened with a kind of dull detachment as she was dragged towards them, tears easily visible on her face. One of the chosen five men shifted uneasily and whispered to no one in particular,

'That's my mother.'

Ramon heard him and looked round at him, a leer appearing on his face. 'And do you know why she's yelling?' The man shook his head. He was only about twenty five. 'Good. And now – do you have a family?' The man nodded. His fear had returned and he seemed confused. He pointed to where a young woman stood with a baby and there was a young boy of about five holding her other hand. Ramon grinned and walked over. He let his eyes slide up and down the woman's body but he made no move to touch her. Instead, he squatted down to the boy.

'He's very good looking. What's his name?'

'Ramiro.'

'Ramiro.' Ramon repeated the name and the little boy looked at him with big brown eyes. He smiled at the kid and then stood up slowly. Jack had a sudden feeling of horror, and he didn't know why – until Ramon reached out and grabbed the boy, pulling him from his mother's grasp so quickly that she didn't have time to resist him. She cried out in surprise though and he looked back at her…and something in his face made her shut up instantly, although her eyes went wide in terror.

But he didn't do anything, he just carried the boy with him over to Jack and handed him a roll of money. 'Give her ten thousand pesos. And the wives of the other four.' Then he walked off a little way, seemingly joking around with the little boy. Jack walked over to each of the five women that stepped forward and handed the money over in silence. None of them looked him in the eyes, except for Ramiro's mother, who silently pleaded with him to help. He stared back and then turned away. He couldn't react. His mind wasn't capable of it at the moment. All he could hear were Ramon's words in the car…_just remember what we talked about last night and you'll be fine_…he had the horrible feeling that all of this was somehow for his benefit.

Ramon wandered back, a grin on his face. He seemed completely relaxed and even enjoying himself. Hector leant against one of the houses, chewing on a toothpick with his hands in his pockets. He too, seemed unconcerned. Javier stood next to him, holding onto the old woman who was staring at the ground. Her lips were moving rapidly – she was praying.

'You five, come over here. Jack, you as well.'

They obeyed in silence and the five men stood next to each other almost unconsciously. Immediately, Charlie and Pablo stepped forward to keep them in place, their weapons at the ready. Jack noted it all calmly. He was only aware of the way his flesh felt cold but his blood felt hot.

'Jack, ask them what their names are. We should know who we're working with.' He didn't bother to try and keep the mocking amusement out of his voice.

'¿Cuál es su nombre, senor?'

'Jesus.'

'¿Y el tuyo?'

'Jose.'

'Elias…..

Andreo…..

Feo.'

Ramon laughed. 'Good. You remember those names Jack? You remember who they belong to?' He nodded. He knew now he wouldn't forget them.

Not ever.

Ramon tweaked the little boy's nose and he giggled. Then he looked straight into Jack's blue eyes and smirked. Jack stared back impassively but his flesh was creeping and he felt a little sick. He knew Ramon knew it. He wasn't surprised when the man reached into the waistband of his trousers and pulled his gun loose. He handed it over to Jack without removing his eyes from his.

Jack took it and turned to the men, swallowing hard as he did so. His arms felt like lead. His mind screamed at him in horror but he didn't hesitate as he raised the gun almost robotically. He aimed for the chest of the first man, Jesus, barely aware of the screaming coming from the wives and families behind him as they realised what was happening. He heard the money crackle in their hands.

And then he was stopped. Ramon had walked over and laid a hand on his arm, almost possessively. He leant in and whispered. 'In the face Jack.' And he laughed, quietly, softly, a gentle chuckle that assaulted his eardrums and reverberated down to his very core.

He nodded. Aimed the gun higher and pulled the trigger. Blood splattered onto his face and he didn't hear the screams. The other four men were white and shaking, rooted to the spot. He moved on, raised the gun. Ramon went with him, grinning all the time. Shot again. Moved on. Pulled the trigger. And again. And again.

Everything was quiet. His hand dropped to his side as he stared ahead blankly. Ramon was laughing again, oh so quietly. He couldn't look down at the mutilated remains of the five men but their names ran through his head, over and over. He blindly made the gun safe, took a quiet breath and turned to Ramon. His eyes were cold as he stared into the glittering blackness in front of him and he held the gun out without saying a word. Ramon took it and tossed it to Hector, then walked over to the old woman that had fallen to the dirt.

'You've seen us here before I take it. That's why you screamed out.'

The woman looked up from the ground. 'You took my first husband from me thirty years ago Senor. And now you've taken my son…' She started crying again and her eyes swung round to Jack. 'Why did you have to pick him? Why him?'

He could do nothing but look back at her. There was nothing he could say. Ramon tutted softly. 'You shouldn't talk that way to one of my people. It's very rude. Perhaps we should send your grandson to be with his father, hmmm? To teach you manners?'

Ramiro's mother heard the words and started pleading loudly, her voice thick with tears for her husband and now desperation for her son. Jack shut his eyes for a second to try and block her out. He was numb. _This isn't happening…not the boy Ramon, please not the boy…_

'I will let you choose. Yourself or little Ramiro. You see, I don't like people to be rude señora.' He jerked his head at Hector, who immediately handed the gun back to Jack. He took it, fighting the way his insides seemed to be trying to crawl out of his skin. _Please not the boy, anything but that…_

The woman was crying again and Hector kicked her. 'My brother asked you a question. Answer him!'

She looked up and eventually whispered 'Me.' Ramon looked at Jack, who again didn't hesitate. He just raised the gun and fired quickly. Anything to get this over with. _Anything…_

The blood was running down the road from the first five corpses and Ramon stepped over it casually as he walked back to the group of people. He handed Ramiro back to his mother, who snatched him desperately, trying to juggle him with the baby she still held. It was bawling loudly and Jack couldn't understand why he hadn't noticed that before. All of a sudden, sound returned to the world, as though the baby had woken him up somehow. He could hear the crying of the people, the hushed silence from the other end of the village, he could hear his own blood roaring in his ears and the way his heart was hammering in his chest…for a minute, he had to fight to stay standing. And all he could think was…_ten thousand pesos. That's not even five bucks. Is that all these people are worth to you…!_

He wanted to throw up but knew he couldn't. Ramon might kill him if he did. There could be no weakness. He shoved his hands into his jeans pockets so no one could see that they were shaking. Hector was talking to his brother, no one was paying him any attention. The men all seemed to be afraid to look at him.

Except Charlie. He came over and his face was worried. 'You OK man?'

_Am I OK? What the fuck! _

'Yeah, I'm OK.'

Charlie tried to read him but there was nothing there to read. 'Jack?'

'What?'

'You're one cold sonofabitch.' And then he walked away, with a look of disgust on his face. Jack was too numb to even be angry. He looked up as Ramon walked towards him and more than anything, he wanted to grab this man by the throat and choke him until his face turned black. Instead, he just waited to be told what to do next.

'Come on. We're going back. The men will finish up here.'

'Finish up?'

He got another smirk for that. 'Yes Jack, finish up.' He saw that he still wasn't getting it, so he pointed over to where Pietro was dragging one of the women inside a house while her children cried alone on the road. 'There are some perks for them you know.' He clapped him on the shoulder and then gripped it to make him start walking. Jack wasn't sure his legs would work, but they did to his surprise.

'You did well.'

They got into the car and he was grateful to be able to sit down t last. 'I thought you said there was no need to make me kill for you. You said you knew I'd do it.' He knew he sounded like he was whining but he needed to understand what the point of that was.

Ramon drove faster now that they didn't have the convoy behind them. 'Yes, I knew you'd do it. But I told you, you have to do what I say. And the men need to know that you _can_ do it. They wont like it if you're promoted without going through what everyone else has to, even if it's just for show.'

'So you do that quite often?' He wanted to talk so that he didn't have to listen to his own thoughts.

'No, not too often. Just for men that have potential. And there are endless villages and endless people that work for me. It does our reputation good to instill a little fear every now and again. I wouldn't want them all to decide they can stop working you know.' He laughed. Jack sank back into the seat, suddenly grateful that it was a hot night. He still had goose bumps under his shirt and his legs felt like rubber.

They arrived back at the ranch. Jack got out of the car and wanted nothing more than to be left alone. He couldn't think about what he'd just done. Not yet. In all his years as a federal agent or as an army officer, he'd never once walked up to a person and shot them in the face for absolutely no reason. He couldn't believe what he'd done, his mind couldn't work round it. He wanted to go and sleep, and try and pretend that it hadn't happened, just for a few hours. He'd deal with it in the morning.

Ramon had other ideas. He walked up beside him and laid a hand on his back, just below the base of his neck. 'Come into the house. There's something else I need you to do for me…'

His mind recoiled. What else could there be? But he followed dumbly. It wasn't as though he had a choice. He was steered into the living room, pushed into a chair and a glass of whiskey was handed to him. He stopped himself from throwing it all back at once, which was what he wanted to do, but it would have appeared weak. So he sipped it coolly and focused on nothing. He refused to let his mind think about anything at all. It was the only way he could cope for now.

Ramon was doing something behind him. He could feel his eyes on the back of his neck, he knew they were there by the way his skin prickled and the air grew heavy again. He ignored it.

Then there was a low voice in his ear. 'Give me your arm Jack.' He could feel hot breath on his ear. _Oh **shit**…_

He raised his arm and Ramon's fingers were warm as he grasped it and slowly rolled up the sleeve. He didn't move, just listened to the soft rustle of cotton as it was slowly tucked in on itself, exposing more of his flesh. He felt the cold tightness of the tourniquet go round his bicep and allowed it to happen. _Hell, it might help._

'Pump your fist.'

He did. He didn't dare look round. He didn't like the way the voice sounded, it was altogether too soft and amused. He did suck in a big lungful of air when the needle penetrated his vein though, he'd forgotten how potent the first hit could be. And then the world went fuzzy and he felt Ramon's warm hands pull the needle out and untie the band. Then a finger reached down and gently rubbed away a small spot of blood that had formed on his skin, causing the hair on his arm to rise.

'They'll be back in a while and there will be a party. You just stay there until they come.'

He closed his eyes and rested his head back, welcoming the peace he'd found. The last thing he heard was Ramon's soft chuckle in his ear, lulling him to sleep.


	11. Cum Tacent, Clamant XI

Chapter XI

Ramon came back into the room a couple of hours later. Jack was still sleeping peacefully and he sat down, not wanting to disturb him just yet. He was beyond happy with the way things had gone that evening – Jack had done exactly what he was told to do, the men had seen it and a powerful message had been spread among the workforce. It was a successful piece of business.

But there was more to it than that. Jack had obviously been affected by what he had had to do and that made everything so much sweeter. Ramon acknowledged to himself that this endeavour with the Americano wouldn't be nearly so interesting if he were just a machine. The results would be the same of course – but somehow, on a personal level, he found himself delighting in the way Jack had been nervous on the drive over and then numb on the way back. And he hadn't put up the slightest resistance to being given heroin again. That was good. That meant he was more willing to submit that either of them had thought.

He had to play this right. He didn't want someone that would just follow him around like a dog – there were endless amounts of people to do that already. No, he wanted more from Jack. He wanted to make him challenge him, so that he could cut him down – and _then_ accept him as almost a partner, whenever he had proved himself. It would keep the guy off balance and it would be entertaining too. And luckily, there was an easy way to accomplish this. It would take a little time, but they had plenty of that.

Ramon smiled as he stood up. Life was full of interesting situations at the moment.

* * *

Jack was roused by a gentle shaking of his shoulder. His eyelids felt heavy and they didn't want to open – it took a moment for him to put his finger on why that was. Then he remembered that Ramon had filled him full of drugs…and then, the rest of the evening's activities came back to him and he stopped trying to keep them open. He didn't want to wake up.

Ramon smiled down at the sleepy blue eyes, almost as someone would look at a child. 'Wake up Jack. The men are back and you need to go and change.'

_Change? Why?_ He forced himself to move. It was easier than sitting here trying to block out his thoughts. Ramon straightened. 'Go take a shower. Everyone will be in the barn.'

Jack just nodded and left. He really didn't want to go to a party and he definitely didn't want to be anywhere near Ramon right now. There seemed to be a permanent aura of amusement around him, like he was laughing at him in his head all the time. It made him uneasy. The guy obviously had something up his sleeve and he couldn't bear to think that it might be another situation similar to the one tonight. Not yet anyway.

He wandered into the bunkhouse, which was deserted. There were shouts of laughter coming from the barn and music suddenly blared out. It was the last place he wanted to go but he knew he didn't have a choice, so he walked on to his little room – only to find Charlie in there. He was sitting on his bed and he didn't get up when Jack walked in.

'What are doing in here?'

'I wanted to talk to you.'

Jack looked around to see if anything had been disturbed. It didn't seem to have been. 'I don't really feel like talking right now Charlie. I've gotta shower and go to the party.'

'It'll just take a minute.'

He sighed and leaned against the wall. If the guy had a problem, better to sort it out now. 'Go on then.'

Charlie stood up slowly. One hand scratched at his back out of sight. 'I just wanted to ask you what the fuck you think you're doing.'

Jack pushed off the wall, a flush of anger surging through his drugged haze. 'What?'

'You were a US Army officer Jack. One of Delta Force, one of the best. And now – what? You're shooting Columbian peasants in the face because you're told to? You're just a whore, Ramon's fucking lapdog. I thought you were cool man, but now you just make me sick. You should've said no.'

'Ramon would have killed me.' He was careful not to raise his voice. His anger was starting to simmer just below the surface and it was getting hotter all the time.

'Better to die than to do what you did man. You sick fuck.' The hand that had been concealed swung suddenly and Jack's reflexes had been dulled by the heroin. He managed to pull back slightly and just caught a glimpse of the knuckleduster before it crashed into his cheekbone. His head snapped back and smacked into the wall, almost knocking him out. He fell to the floor and heard Charlie sneer 'See ya at the party Jack…' before he was left alone. He fought to stay conscious but his face was in agony and eventually, blackness closed over him.

* * *

He didn't know how long he was out but it couldn't have been more than a few minutes because no one had come to look for him. He winced as he pulled himself off the floor, his head was splitting open. There was a gash on his cheek and a lump was swelling already. He fingered it lightly but there were no thoughts of the pain. Instead, he remembered Charlie's face, just before he hit him. It had held such a look of contempt...then he remembered the old lady on the floor berating him…_why him, why did you have to pick him!_...and then he thought of Ramon, and his sly little smirks and quiet amusement and the way he had handed the gun to him…

…he was outside, running, his fury thick in his throat and he didn't try to choke it down. He embraced it, let him bring him alive, let it flow through his veins as he burst through the barn doors. Music hit him but he could only hear noise, he ignored people that turned to welcome him but froze when they saw his face…he just kept moving, over to where Charlie stood with his back to him, talking to a girl. Even as he grabbed the man's shoulder and swung him around, even as he buried his fist into the surprised face with all the force he could muster, he could feel Ramon's eyes on him from across the room…

Charlie went down hard and his head hit the edge of the table as he fell. Jack could hardly see, he was so blinded by anger. He just started kicking the shape on the floor as hard as he could, his boots pounding into flesh until it went soft and mushy. The music had stopped and ribs could be heard cracking in the silence, he was dimly aware of an order being shouted and suddenly there were hands on him, grabbing him and dragging him away…

There was Ramon, standing in front of him. He had a puzzled look on his face and Jack fought down the desire to kill him where he stood. Trying to control himself brought the world back into focus and he calmed down gradually, stopped pulling against the restraints that gripped him. His breathing slowed and he became aware of the hushed silence that had descended.

'What's this about Jack?' Ramon didn't sound angry but there was a no-nonsense edge in his voice. He wouldn't settle for less than the truth. All eyes were on Jack and he could see the fear on their faces – he didn't know that his own eyes shone with pure hatred and revenge. He found he couldn't trust himself to speak, but in the end he didn't have to. Ramon reached out and gently gripped his jaw, turned his face to the light so that the cut and swelling below his eye were plainly in sight. He tapped a finger on his skin reflectively, then turned away.

'Pietro. Search Charlie's pockets.'

The order was carried out instantly and the contents of them brought over. A clip of money, a small leather wallet that contained pictures of two kids, a knife – and the knuckleduster. Ramon smiled down at it.

'Are you calm Jack?' He nodded and Ramon told the guys to let him go. There were four of them. 'Go and get cleaned up. I'll be over to see you.'

'What about him?'

'Oh, I think you've had your revenge. It looks like he'll be out of action for a while. I'll be talking to him further when he wakes up though, don't worry about that.' It was all he could do to keep from grinning. _This is too perfect! I don't even need to warn the men that they shouldn't touch this guy…they're all going to be terrified of him now. Even more than they were…_

'Go on.' Jack hesitated but his eyes had calmed down, he nodded and left the barn. Ramon caught Hectors eye, both of them smiled with amusement. He was turning out to be even more than they'd hoped for. 'Javier, get that thing out of the way. Just leave him in a corner. We'll deal with him when we've had our party.'

The music started up again and people relaxed and turned back to their drinks. Naturally, there was only one topic of conversation.

* * *

Jack walked into the small bathroom next to his room. Tiredness had hit him as adrenaline left his body – apart from the short nap earlier, he'd been awake for close to forty eight hours, and it had been almost non-stop action or stress. The speed had helped through the day, but that had worn off now and the heroin had taken over. He just wanted to collapse into bed. But no, he had to deal with Ramon again.

He caught a glimpse of himself in the bathroom mirror and flinched with shock. There was blood on one cheek from Charlie's punch, it was already congealing – but he hadn't realised that his face was also covered with other flecks of blood and there were small chunks of matter on his clothes. And fuck…in his hair too. He hadn't even noticed it before – he was covered in the brain matter of the people he'd killed, and it had dried onto his skin. A wave of revulsion swept threw him and he didn't fight it this time, he let himself collapse in front of the toilet and throw up. It hurt, he hadn't eaten since yesterday and his stomach was empty, but that didn't stop the dry heaving that made his body spasm repeatedly. The pressure caused his eyes to water and tears fell to the rim of the toilet, his stomach ached and complained at the strain.

He let the reaction run its course, too drained to do anything else. It was necessary anyway. He knew there was no point fighting his own body. But as soon as it was over he turned the shower on as hot as he could get it and let it run while he went to get clean clothes from his bag. He kept moving. He didn't want a second to sit and think, and he didn't want to consider what Ramon might be going to do or say later on either. He'd probably be angry, but fuck it, there was nothing he could do about that now.

Jack emptied his clothes out to find clean stuff and as he did so, he noticed a light flashing through the lining of the bag. It was the scrambled cell phone. It was switched off but there was a remotely operated chip in it that was activated to flash whenever someone at CTU had to get in touch with him urgently. Jack cursed under his breath. There was no way he could risk using it at the moment, Ramon might come at any time. So he stuffed the phone into a sock to dim the light and put it back in its pocket, then refilled the bag and shoved it under the bed. He'd deal with that later. He did spend a minute wondering what was going to be so important, but then he gave up. Frankly, he had other things on his mind right now.

The water of the shower almost scalded his skin but he didn't care – he had to get clean. He scrubbed at himself roughly to make sure that he got all the dried stuff off him and ignored the way the water made the fresh cut on his cheek sting and start bleeding again. _Why did he do that? What did he hope to achieve by attacking me?_ Charlie's reactions to him in the last few days had been nothing short of weird. At times he was like a friend, then he seemed to be looking up to him, then he'd be angry and disgusted. And at the same time, he'd been jealous of Jack's apparent progression in the organisation – maybe that's what it was all about. Maybe all this was just simple jealousy.

He wasn't sorry he'd hit him. If he hadn't, Ramon would have wanted to know why. He knew that he couldn't let people get away with that sort of behaviour…it occurred to Jack that maybe Charlie had done it on Ramon's orders. After all, he'd done the same thing in the bar two weeks ago…but no. The puzzlement from Ramon in the barn had been genuine and the utter disgust on Charlie's face had been real. So…why? He didn't know and didn't care. Even as he stood, he was fighting sleep.

The water ran cold after half an hour so he made himself stop scrubbing. He didn't bother to shave, just brushed his teeth and dried off quickly. Hopefully he wouldn't have to wait long for Ramon. He wrapped the towel round his waist after inspecting the cut – it was deep but probably would be alright without stitches – and walked into his room. And for the second time that night, there was someone waiting for him. He jumped in shock and then cursed to himself. He should have known.

Ramon took in the sight before him and smiled from the chair. Jack looked over at him and felt the atmosphere change as it always did. 'Sorry Ramon, I didn't hear you come in.'

'That's OK, I saw you in the shower.'

_What the fuck?_ His mind recoiled. He'd taken showers with guys all his life of course – but he'd never been watched without his knowledge before. That he knew of anyway. He couldn't help a small blush and he turned away quickly to pull a clean T-shirt on while Ramon's laughter echoed in his ears. _Sick fuck…_

'I'm sorry about losing it with Charlie…' Ramon was waving his words away.

'No you're not. And do you think I care? I would only have been angry if you didn't do it. You couldn't let him get away with hitting you. I'm just surprised that he managed to get a shot in at all.'

'I want expecting it.'

'Well obviously.' He didn't speak for a moment, he just looked at him standing there. Jack could feel the heat make him start to sweat slightly again, despite the lack of clothes. Ramon stood up and walked closer to him. 'You need to move out of here. After tonight, you're not 'one of the guys' anymore. Not that you ever were – but it won't do to have you sleeping near them.' Jack could smell the cigar smoke on his clothes, and it made his clean skin creep slightly. 'Get dressed and get your stuff together. You can move into the guesthouse where we talked last night. I think you've earned that much.'

Jack nodded, quietly disturbed by Ramon's proximity. But he was thankful too – it would be a relief to have some space from the men. After the events of the day, it was true – he was no longer a simple worker in the organisation. Things had changed in a way he didn't quite understand. He had the fleeting thought that this was good news for his mission, but the feeling of trepidation was stronger at the moment. _God, I really need to sleep. I've got to get a handle on this… _But he had the feeling that his grip had slipped too far already. He seemed to be caught up in something that he couldn't control anymore and that was scary.

'I'll go and open it up. Meet me there when you're ready but don't be long. I'll get Claudia to come and look at your face too.'

He moved away, out through the curtain. Jack let a long breath escape quietly, feeling the tension leave the air. He walked back through into the bathroom and grabbed his stuff from there, then dumped it on the bed and pulled his towel off. He was just reaching for a pair of shorts when he smelt smoke. He straightened slowly, feeling the gaze that was devouring him from behind. _Fuck, what now…_ But he was determined not to let this faze him, whatever _this_ was, so he turned and stared straight into Ramon's smirking face, covering himself casually with his underwear. He didn't let himself try and interpret the sparkling in the dark eyes, he made sure that his face was completely neutral. _Show no fear… _

'I forgot to leave you a set of keys.'

_Because you couldn't have given them to me in ten minutes when I see you over there? Fuck off Ramon…_

'Thanks.' They clattered quietly as he put them on the table by the door. Ramon chuckled again.

'Don't be long, I want to get back to the party.'

'OK.'

He was gone again, for real this time and Jack refused to let himself dwell on what had just happened. There was too much going on. He got dressed quickly, shoved everything into his bag and headed out of there.

The place was small but comfortable. Jack looked it over, wondering if it was bugged. It was too much to hope that it wasn't but maybe he could find out somehow. If it wasn't, it was perfect. He'd be able to use his phone in here without being disturbed. He threw his bag down in the bedroom and tried to think of ways to check it over without having access to anti-bugging equipment.

He walked back downstairs where Ramon was waiting for him. 'Everything OK.'

'Yes its fine. Thank you for letting me use it.'

'It's nothing. Are you sure you don't want to come over for a drink?'

'If you don't mind Ramon, I'd like to sleep.' He was too tired to even mind admitting something that could be seen as a weakness. Ramon chewed on his cigar, then went to the liquor cabinet and poured a couple of glasses of tequila. He handed one over.

'Claudia will be here in a moment. Drink that. And take your sweater off.' His voice was hard, there was no doubt he was giving an order. Jack eyed him slowly, his brain trying to work out what he was after now. But he couldn't disobey, so he put his drink down and slowly peeled off his sweater. Ramon had turned away and was fiddling with something by the table, something that Jack couldn't see. He just waited, feeling as though he were naked again. He was just starting to realise what it was really like to be under someone's thumb completely. _And you chose it man, so stop whining and just suck it up_…

Ramon faced him, and there was a syringe in his hand. Jack flinched slightly. 'Ramon…'

'Ssshhh, it's OK.'

'But I already had a shot…'

'This is just a little one. It'll help you sleep better. And your face must hurt.' _I don't need it to sleep, please don't…_'Give me your arm Jack.' Somehow the voice was more menacing because it was soft and almost kind.

He raised his arm and let Ramon tie the tourniquet again. It occurred to him that this was as much a demonstration of power as making him actually take the drug – Ramon knew that he knew how to shoot up himself, but he had done it for him twice now.

The rush was as strong as always and he closed his eyes against the swell of euphoria. He breathed heavily as it swallowed him whole and immediately felt himself get drowsier than he was already. He opened his eyes when he felt Ramon move away.

'I'm going to drink. You won't be working tomorrow.'

'What do you want me to do?'

'Nothing. I'll come by in the afternoon, be ready. Claudia will be here in a minute so don't sleep yet – she can stitch that cut if it needs it.'

'OK. Thank you.' He was alone finally and he sank into a chair – the same one he'd sat on when he'd agreed to become nothing more than Ramon's puppet. The thought was enough to make him move on to a different seat.

He struggled to make sense of the last two days. They'd started off with him as a regular worker. Then he'd led a raid on the plane, given himself to Ramon, worked a day, murdered six people, been attacked by one of his men, beaten him to a pulp in return and been forced to start taking heroin again. And CTU urgently needed to talk to him.

It was too much. He tried to think about why he'd been given a day off and what that might mean. He tried to pull himself together enough to plan from here and think about what else he could do to speed the infiltration process along. But despite Ramon's order to stay awake, he couldn't hold on anymore. Sleep claimed him and he was happy to sink into darkness.


	12. Cum Tacent, Clamant XII

Chapter XII

Ramon and Hector stood over Jack, whose head was moving sluggishly as he tried, and failed, to raise it from the back of the chair where he sat. His arms fell over the sides of the chair and his body was like a piece of wet spaghetti, or a rag doll – it just sat limply and he didn't seem to have any control over it at all. Hector sighed. It was kind of sad to watch this, he didn't enjoy seeing someone so beaten down by drugs.

Ramon straightened up from his bended position and his hand held an empty syringe. He was smiling down at his handiwork, obviously satisfied.

'How long have you kept him like this?'

'About ten days now. He's not always this bad, I'm just upping his dosage that's all. He'll get used to this level.'

'He was using before though. He'll be hooked by now, he probably was within the first few days. Why have you kept it going so long? We could use him back with the men.'

Ramon untied the tourniquet from around Jack's arm. 'I don't know if I'm going to put him back with them. He'll be more useful with the other side of the business I think.'

'Ramon, he's no use for _anything_ like this. I understand that you wanted to get him hooked but we're paying him to do nothing but sit in this chair at the moment. Look at him!' He kicked Jack's leg which shifted to one side and didn't move. 'He can't even stand up, let alone talk or move. He's addicted already. It's time to let him out of here.'

Ramon stared down at the almost comatose body in front of them and sighed regretfully. He'd been enjoying this. But he had to admit, it was getting a little boring. Jack was no challenge when he couldn't do anything and the novelty of keeping him in this state was starting to wear off. Besides, he was starting to look slightly unhealthy – weight was falling off him now and his complexion was getting sallow. Probably because he'd barely been outside since the night he'd put Charlie in hospital.

'Yes, maybe you're right.' He threw the syringe down on the table. 'I'll let that wear off and see what the effects are later. Have any of the men asked after him?'

'Well, they wouldn't ask me would they? But yes, Pietro says they've been wondering where he is.'

'And do they miss having him around? Or are they glad he's gone?'

'A mixture of both in every man I think. They enjoyed working with him but they've all seen what he's capable of now, and that frightens them. Hell, Charlie will be in plaster for weeks and they had to wire his jaw back together.' He looked at his watch. 'I have to go and meet Claudia. We'll talk later.' He left Ramon standing over Jack and thinking about what Hector had just said. _They've seen what he's capable of Hector? Oh no…I don't think any of us have seen that yet…_

He knew he had to stop this and let Jack regain some sense of normality but the truth was, he was enjoying seeing how far he could go. He'd come to see Jack the day after he moved into this house, just as he'd said he would, and he'd told him that he was having some time off. Then he'd given him a shot of much stronger junk than he was used to, noting with satisfaction the way that again he didn't argue – he had just raised his arm when he'd been told to and accepted what he'd been given. And that was how it had started – if he was honest, he really hadn't meant to keep it going for this long.

But there was something intoxicating in waiting to see whether Jack would refuse this time. He knew it was a possibility – every time he walked into the house, he knew there was a chance that Jack would risk it, push back and say no, he'd had enough. That would bring the confrontation that Ramon half wanted – he knew now that he wouldn't kill this man, not unless he did something really bad. But he wanted an excuse to push him further, to see just how far he would go before he wouldn't take this shit anymore.

Everyday had been the same though. Once again, he was blank. The last display of emotion had been in the barn, when he'd stood in front of him and his eyes had blazed pure hatred. Ramon didn't kid himself – he knew that most of that was directed at him for making him kill the people, it wasn't simply because Charlie had hit him. And he had _loved_ the way that Jack was restrained in front of him, held back, tied down, unable to do a thing when he so badly wanted to. It was…

_(arousing)_

…stimulating, to say the least. But since that night, there had been nothing from him, even before he'd upped the dosage's to almost dangerous levels. He would come in and Jack would be sitting, waiting. Not with his sleeves rolled up though – he still made Ramon tell him every time. But when he was told, he did it without hesitation, no talking, no argument. It was getting frustrating. There was once again no fear, everything about him said that he would take whatever Ramon gave him and he'd deal with it.

And then he would be in this state, unable to do anything at all. It was losing its appeal and that annoyed Ramon beyond belief. Jack should have broken by now. The object was not just to get him hooked – it was to make him fight back. And he wasn't. He was coldly accepting it all. Ramon was not stupid and he saw what Jack was doing. He wouldn't stop doing what he was told because that was the best way to show his strength – and also, to utter a huge 'Fuck You' that was all the louder because it was silent.

_Well Jack…I can't let you waste away here forever. It's not fun anymore. So, I'll see you later…and we'll see how you're doing. And maybe it's time I took that 'Fuck You' and shoved it straight back down your cold American throat…

* * *

_

Jack was aware of the two men standing over him and he wanted to talk to them. He could hear their voices but it sounded like they were coming from miles away, and from underwater. He couldn't quite make sense of the words. All he knew was that he felt sick to his stomach but didn't have the energy – or ability – to even let his muscles clench enough to make him sick. So the acid just roiled around his insides and burnt him, making him feel worse.

He knew that this was bad. Some part of his brain was just holding on enough to tell him that this was going too far, he needed to stop it. But when they'd come in and Ramon had told him to roll up his sleeve, he had done it without question, even though the look on his face told him that the man was reaching the end of his patience. He'd even gone as far as to form the words in his mind – but then he'd seen those five men lined up in the street and he just couldn't back down. He'd seen Ramon holding that little boy and remembered the fear he had felt because he knew he might have to kill him. And he tasted the knowledge that he would have too…

It wouldn't be so bad if he died here. Self-preservation was not high on his list of priorities. CTU could send someone else down after all. There was no one ready yet, but there would be in time. But of course – they didn't have time. The Salazars were branching out rapidly and they had to be stopped. It was the one thing he knew – but at the moment, all he could think was that dying wouldn't be so bad. The sickness from the amount of drugs was eating at him, it was permanent, it was hurting. And once he submitted to the needle, he was no longer in any condition to think about anything. He couldn't even control his eyes, they wouldn't focus.

He felt Hector leave. It was just him and Ramon, the way it always seemed to be. But there was no tension in the air now – there wasn't anything in his body to generate it. He stopped trying to lift his head. All he could hope was that he would fall asleep again soon and that Ramon would be gone when he woke up. _Please_ _God, let him be gone…

* * *

_

He spent the day working, in contact with some people from the Middle East. He managed to put Jack from his mind quite successfully as it happened, he knew he wasn't going anywhere. He ate a long dinner with Hector and Claudia in the evening, and then spent some time slowly fucking a whore that he had visit him sometimes. He took his time with her, knowing that Jack was going to be in pain when he saw him and wanting to put off the meeting. He wanted the man to be a mess when he got there.

He made some more phone calls, evening was the best time to call the Far East where he got a large supply of his raw opium from. Then he took a shower and found some clean clothes and talked with Hector again, working out what needed to be done in the morning. Then there was no more work to do. He checked his watch. Jack had been without anything for fourteen hours now. He was sure to be feeling something.

He walked slowly over to the guest house, the ever-present cigar in his mouth. He had another shot in his pocket and knew he'd probably use it – but he didn't know yet which way to play this. He'd talk to him first before he made up his mind.

The door was open, as it always was. Jack knew instinctively that he should never lock it. Ramon pushed it open and walked inside, expecting to see a shivering wreck, a man broken and ready to plead for his fix, plead for anything to get it…

Instead, he got Jack. Sitting on the couch, staring straight ahead. Yes, his face was white and there was sweat on his forehead, his hands gripped his knees maybe harder than they would normally. But it was nothing like Ramon expected to see, and for the first time, he honestly felt unsure about what he was doing. It was weird. Everything was so still. The man shouldn't, _couldn't_, be resisting like this. And yet, he just sat, in silence, staring ahead.

The same thing happened that always happened when Ramon was shaken. He got mad. He couldn't stop himself from glaring and then suddenly bursting out in anger.

'What are you hoping to achieve Jack? Don't think I don't know what you're doing.'

His words were clipped and Jack knew that he was treading on thin ice here. But he couldn't give in. He couldn't plead for the drugs and he couldn't plead not to have them either. He'd lose either way. So it was easier to just say as little as possible and hope that that wouldn't get him killed.

'I'm doing whatever you say Ramon, just like you told me I had to.' And he was too, Ramon couldn't deny that. Which was what made it all the more frustrating. _You were doing so well Jack. You were reacting to me. And now you've retreated again… I don't like that…_

He walked over and sat down, staring into the eyes that didn't move. He didn't know that it was costing Jack every ounce of energy and willpower he had not to just break down and scream for something to make this go away. Once some of the drugs had left his system that morning and he was able to move, he'd dragged himself to the bathroom and been violently sick for about two hours. The pain was excruciating, he had been given far more than was safe. His system tried to repel all of it, while he just fought to stay conscious. After he'd gotten hold of himself a bit, he'd spent a few hours slowly cleaning up his mess, he wanted no evidence of any breakdown when Ramon arrived. The smell of bleach made him sick again, but he carried on regardless. Then he washed all his clothes, trying not to get motion sickness whenever he looked at the spinning washing machine. And then he'd paced the ground floor of the house, trying to ignore the way he was cramping and sweating, fighting off the feeling that there were eels and worms under his skin, trying not to twitch as his body demanded relief. Yes, he was hooked now, his body told him so. But he didn't want it. He didn't want any more of that stuff. And it was costing him energy he didn't have just to sit still now. He didn't know how long he could keep it up.

'Jack – these mind games are not helping you.' He got no reply. 'You do what I tell you! Answer me!'

'You didn't ask me a question Ramon.'

Ramon stared at him. Then, he started to laugh menacingly. 'You think this is smart Jack? I know you are pushing me. You're trying to show that you can take whatever I throw at you. But you need to remember – I can kill you anytime I like. I don't need a reason. If you become more of a problem than you are worth, I will not hesitate to get rid of you.' He moved and sat on the sofa beside him. Then he leaned in and whispered 'I have a shot in my pocket. I know you want it. You're sweating. I bet if I move one of your hands, it'll be shaking. I know this is hurting you.' He paused to let the words sink in. Jack didn't flinch. 'All you have to do is ask for it. That's all Jack. Just ask me to give it to you, and I will.' _Ask me you sonofabitch…_

He moved finally, slowly swivelling his head towards Ramon. Their faces were only a few inches apart and Jack glared into the sparkling black eyes – but they were easy to read this time. The man was frustrated, he wanted to win. He couldn't let him. 'If you tell me to ask Ramon, I'll ask. I have to do what you tell me, right?'

Neither moved. Jack saw the sparkle fade and go flat, he could feel the rage building in the air around him. They both knew he had won this round. But if he gloated, he would die. Better to back off – if he got the chance. Ramon might just lose it now and end it straight away regardless of reason...he didn't have the energy to care anymore. It was getting harder and harder to be motivated by CTU. They were so far away and…_shit! It's been over a week since I called in. And the cell phone…shit!_

Ramon stood up and walked away a few paces, almost trembling in an effort to contain himself. He took a contemplative drag on his cigar. It was odd – Jack had done everything he was supposed to. It just wasn't getting him what he wanted. He didn't even know what he _did_ want anymore but he knew it was more than this. He turned and looked down, Jack was still facing forward, his hands were still gripping his knees tightly. Ramon smirked, then deliberately reached down and drove the burning end of his cigar into the back of Jack's left hand. He felt a rush of satisfaction as the man's jaw clenched and his eyes went wide, then there was a sharp intake of breath that was held tightly. Ramon pushed harder and twisted it – he _would_ get a sound from him…the smell of burning flesh filled the room and Jack caved, his weakened defences couldn't withstand the pain without letting some of it out. He groaned deeply, but quietly, and Ramon pulled the cigar away then dropped it onto the floor and ground it out viciously on the carpet. The air was still and Jack could feel the fury, even through the pain.

'Get up and follow me.' He did and his legs were shaking. They walked over to the main house in silence. At one point Jack didn't know if he was going to make it or not, his muscles were weak from inactivity and this was the furthest he'd moved for ten days now. The agony in his hand didn't help and he tried to stop the waves of nausea from overwhelming him. He managed it with a struggle and tried to think about what was going to happen now. He honestly had no idea, there was no way to predict what Ramon might have him do – or might do to him. He could feel the man's rage coming off him, even from where the man walked a few paces ahead of him it was overpowering. He'd never felt it this strongly before and it reminded him that this was a ruthless man, capable of _anything_.

Ramon burst through the front door of the house, startling Claudia who was walking past.

'Ramon...'

'Shut up! Go and get my brother.'

Claudia gave him a cool look and strolled away. Ramon grabbed Jack by the arm and virtually dragged him into the kitchen, where he proceeded to pull open a door with force. There were steps leading down and he was pushed down them, almost falling when his legs struggled to keep up with the pressure from behind.

There was a large basement, divided by walls that correlated with the one in the house above. He was pushed through an archway into a dim hallway that had doors leading off it. Another door was pulled open and he was shoved inside…_cells! Fuck, they're fucking **cells**_… and the door clanged shut behind him. Ramon didn't waste any time, he simply drove a punch into Jack's face as hard as he could, sending him sprawling to the floor. It was followed by a kick to the stomach that instantly had him retching, the pain ran through his body which reacted the only way it could.

Hector came rushing through the door at that point. 'What's going on?'

Ramon turned to him. 'Come back in ten minutes. Bring some more junk.' Hector nodded and made to leave when he was stopped by Ramon adding 'And that whore as well. Bring her down.' He looked back at his brother, noting the fury that seemed to be edging on madness. He just nodded again and left – he'd seen Ramon like this before and he didn't want to be around if it got any worse. He briefly wondered what Jack had done to earn this but decided he didn't really care.

The door was closed again and Jack realised what a precarious position he was in. Ramon had gone past rational now, he'd lost all semblance of his usual cool exterior. He was just running on pure rage….he tensed as a foot came flying towards him and caught him in the ribs, the toe driving deep into the flesh and thudding off bone. He felt the bone jar and was just thankful it didn't break – he wasn't so lucky on the second kick, a loud snapping filled the room and made him scream out instantly. He caught a kick in the face for that and blood poured onto the floor, it made him choke when the thick metallic liquid ran down his throat. He couldn't shield himself, there was nowhere for him to go. He just tried to cover his head, but his hands were stamped on until they fell to the ground and mercifully, the next kick knocked him out cold.

Ramon breathed heavily as Jack went limp, his face lying in a pool of blood. He was so tempted to just rip the table to shreds and beat him to death with it but no, he wouldn't do that. He kicked the unconscious body a few times, just for the bruises it would cause later, then he was interrupted by Hector, who came back in, leading the prostitute who was clearly frightened. He carried a few vials of liquid in his hand.

'Leave us Hector.' He did without question, although his face was curious.

Ramon grabbed the girl and sat her on the single chair in the room. 'Don't move.' The he went over to Jack and carelessly ripped the sleeve from his shirt, after slicing a hole at the seam with his knife. He took no care when he filled the syringe in his pocket and didn't even make much attempt to ensure he didn't puncture the vein all the way through when he injected it into Jack's arm. His hands knew what they were doing though, so it was safe. He ripped the tourniquet off and threw it in a corner. Then he turned to the girl.

'Take your clothes off.'

'Ramon…'

He slapped her hard across the face. 'Do it now!' Her eyes filled with tears and she squealed at the pain but she knew better than to refuse. She undressed quickly, Ramon wasted no time in bending her over the table and entering her roughly – violence always turned him on and Jack was still out cold anyway. He went hard and fast, ignoring the girls screams of pain. It was rape, nothing more, it didn't matter that she had already been paid for the evening.

Jack woke up slowly, his head groggy but remarkably pain free. It didn't take him long to realise what Ramon had done, the sleeve was gone from his shirt and the withdrawal had receded. He pushed himself up slowly to avoid aggravating the broken rib and he expected another attack to hit him at any moment …he was surprised when none came. Instead, there were cries from somewhere else. He managed to sit on the floor with his back against the wall and it was then that he saw what was going on.

There was a girl bent over a table, her cheek was rubbing on the surface as her body was roughly assaulted from behind. Cries came from her mouth and tears fell down her face – Jack averted his eyes…only to look up and see that there was Ramon, riding her roughly – but staring at _him_. He found that he couldn't look away, those black pools seemed darker than ever and they pinned him to the wall until he couldn't move a muscle. They seemed to be mocking him…_I wouldn't be doing this if you had behaved Jack_…and hating him at the same time, and it was like a traffic accident, he just couldn't look away…

He was moving faster now, and the girl's cries were escalating into screams. Still the eyes didn't look away. The table was being shoved across the floor he was thrusting so hard and his breath was fast and ragged. Jack could almost feel the fury that was pulsing through him, it filled the room and made his heart race and bang in his ears…and then the man came, a guttural moan rent the air and his body went tense – but the eyes never left Jack's, not for a second…

He relaxed and Jack realised he'd been holding his breath. Eye contact was broken suddenly as he looked away and stared at the ground, while Ramon pulled away and zipped his pants back up. There was no sound apart from the girl's quiet sobs but both men were barely aware of them, their eyes were back on each other and Jack suddenly felt as though it were _he_ that was naked…

He held his gaze as Ramon walked over. The smirk was back but there was no humour in the blackness, no sparkle, no cool. They were blank. He stopped in front of him and didn't say anything for a moment. Then he just gestured towards the small figure on the table.

'Your turn.'

Jack stared at him. And suddenly, he was gripped by the sudden need to laugh hysterically. He held it back though because it would have got him killed. But really, the irony was hilarious, as hilarious as anything could be in this situation anyway. And the relief that coursed through him was powerful and immediate. Ramon had checkmated himself with this one.

'You want me to…' he made a vague gesture towards the girl.

'You need an instruction manual or something? Get up and do it!'

Jack was shaking his head. 'Sorry Ramon, I can't do that.' He gasped as strong hands pulled him up and muscles spasmed around his broken rib.

'Are you refusing me Jack? You're daring to refuse me?' The eyes were wild, furious.

'No. I'm not refusing you. I'm telling you that I _can't_…'

Realisation dawned on Ramon's face and was quickly replaced by yet more anger. He pulled Jack round and shoved him into the chair, then grabbed the girl and started hitting her. He wanted to scream with frustration. Jack wanted to stop him beating up on the whore but knew he couldn't – and at the same time, relief ran through him. He'd never been more grateful for the detrimental effects of heroin on a man's libido. He couldn't have got it up for the most beautiful woman on the planet right now – and it was Ramon's fault for pumping him full of the shit to start off with.

He was obviously bored with hitting the kid now and some of his anger seemed to be working its way out. He threw her out of the door and her clothes followed soon after. The door was shut loudly and then he paced around, while Jack just sat and waited. The dose he'd been given was strong and he was having trouble focusing again. At least there was no pain. But nothing could stop the nervousness of what Ramon might do now.

'You're frustrating me Jack.' His voice was harsh and rough. 'And I'm beginning to wonder if you're worth it. Maybe you are just a junkie that isn't worth shit. Am I right? Are you?'

Jack looked up. 'Maybe.' _Maybe I am…_

'How does it feel to not be a man? If you can't fuck, you're not a man.' He didn't seem to expect an answer and he must have realised that he was making himself sound stupid – they both knew why Jack was addicted right now. It hadn't been through choice. The more he spoke, the more his power was crumbling and they both knew that too, which is probably why he shut up suddenly. Jack started to get even more nervous. This was more dangerous than ever. Ramon would have to do something to shift the power back to himself now.

He knew it too. And his face suddenly pulled itself into a smile as something seemed to occur to him. He walked over to his jacket, to where it had been discarded on the floor, then reached into the pocket. Jack knew what was in there and all relief went out of him when he saw the vials. He knew immediately that he'd lost this one after all and Ramon did too – but he was still going to play it out.

He made a great show of filling the syringe, holding it up to the light and tapping the body. Jack noted, with a kind of dispassionate removal, the way that perspiration glittered on his forehead under the naked bulb and the way the smell of sex filled the air. It was boiling down here and his own clothes felt uncomfortably sticky against his skin, especially as he was flushed from the recent hit he'd taken. _Fuck, he can't really be meaning to do this…he's just threatening…_

But if it was a threat, it was a serious one. Jack knew exactly what he had to do – he just put off doing it until the last minute. The tourniquet had been wrapped tightly around the arm and he'd watched from afar, not quite willing to surrender just yet…but he would have to. Ramon was standing over him now, so close that he could smell the girl on his skin and almost taste the sweat that sat there on his neck. He was only centimetres from the man's ear but he still waited until he felt the cold metal on his arm, until the skin was almost penetrated fully…

'Stop.' It was a whisper and his stomach clenched when he had to utter it. Ramon turned his head and their eyes were close enough so that blackness was all he could see.

'You want me to stop Jack? You are refusing this?'

'Yes.' He wished he could talk louder but anything above a whisper would be completely wrong under the circumstances. The smile was back now, it was a predatory leer that said he knew he had his prey right where he wanted it.

'Why?' _Shit, those eyes are so blue…and they're so soft and yes! **Now** he's in pain..._

'It'll kill me Ramon. You'll kill me with that.'

Ramon looked down at him, at the way the light reflected off the soft blond hair that was ruffled and damp with sweat. It made him look younger than he was, and the eyes were clouded and unfocused. There was something incredibly vulnerable about him at that moment and for Ramon, no victory had ever been sweeter.

'You don't want me to kill you, do you Jack?'

He just shook his head.

'Are you going to give me what I want?'

He hesitated and then nodded, even though he wasn't exactly sure what Ramon wanted. He didn't even know if Ramon knew at the moment. He had a few ideas though…

The needle was withdrawn and the tie loosened from his arm. He was relieved when the man stepped out of his space, the proximity had been more than worrying.

'You have refused me Jack. I told you never to do that.'

OK, he'd play it out. 'Sorry Ramon.'

'I don't want to kill you, not yet anyway. So…' He made a show of pretending to be thinking about something. 'Tell me the truth now. How bad was the withdrawal today?'

He told the truth, about the vomiting and cramps and diarrhoea and the mess he'd made and had to clean up after. He knew that the more he humiliated himself now, the more Ramon would like it and hopefully it'd make the sentence lighter. He mentioned the way he'd been in agony for days now, even when he was high. Ramon just listened in silence, and he nodded when he finished.

'Yes, it sounds like you're pretty much addicted, wouldn't you agree?'

'Yes Ramon.' _I fucking hate you. You cocksucker_.

'Well…stand up.' He did, holding onto his side as he did so. Ramon pulled the chair out from behind him and threw it out into the hallway, then did the same for the table. The room was now completely bare, just four plain walls. He faced Jack, who stood under the bulb, wondering what was going on.

'I don't like junkies Jack. If I want to consider you for a high ranking position in my organisation, you need to be clean. So, I'm afraid you'll have to stay here until you beat this nasty little habit of yours.' Jack stared. _Oh, you're kidding..._ He stared at Ramon, who could barely contain his glee. His mouth split into a wide grin and all traces of his earlier anger were completely gone, dormant again under the surface until the next time someone pissed him off. 'Yes, I'm afraid so Jack. And you need a punishment…'

He walked to the door and took a last look back. Jack was gripping his sides and he was looking at the floor now. His face seemed to set into a look of grim determination that pleased Ramon even more because he knew that that determination wouldn't last long. This guy was going to be in a world of pain, very, very soon.

'I might send someone to look in on you in a few days time, if there's anyone to spare.' Jack didn't look up and Ramon laughed loudly and left the room.

The door clanged loudly after him but Jack still didn't look up. All his energy suddenly went into working out the best way to survive this new ordeal. And as he stood there, a key turned in the lock and the light snapped off, leaving him alone and scared, in utter darkness.


	13. Cum Tacent, Clamant XIII

Chapter XIII

Ramon wandered into the kitchen and saw that Hector wasn't up yet. Claudia was though and she stood by the sink drying glasses. She barely looked up when he came in and he glared at the back of her head – why the hell did Hector put up with this bitch and her attitude? He sometimes only managed to stop himself slapping her because he knew his brother wouldn't like it, but mierda! she deserved it sometimes…

'Good morning Claudia.'

She turned her head and glanced at him from under half-closed lids, surveying him coolly. God, she hated his little smirk and he way he looked at her. Hated _him_ really.

'Morning Ramon. Do you want breakfast?'

'Yes, thank you.' It was the same every time they were alone. Ramon knew she didn't like him and vice versa, yet they kept everything civil, even when Hector wasn't there. Still, she seemed even more pissed off than usual this morning and he was in a good mood which he didn't want ruined. 'So, what's the matter?'

'Why would anything be the matter?' She cracked a couple of eggs into a bowl and started to beat them rapidly.

'Oh just spit it out.' Irritation began to knaw at him and it was too early for this shit. She didn't look at him, just put down the whisk, threw some bacon under the grill and then opened the fridge door for some milk.

'He was yelling last night. I'm surprised you didn't hear it.' She could feel his leer and didn't look at him in case he saw the disgust on her face.

'I was busy last night.'

_Yes, with two hookers and about three bottles of tequila_…

'I'm sure you were. Have you been down there?'

'Why would I bother myself?' He reached for a newspaper and opened it.

'I took him some water this morning. He needs a doctor. You've kept him there for almost two days Ramon. He might die if you don't let him out.'

He glared up from the table. 'Who told you to go down there?'

She turned and met his gaze without blinking. 'You said this man will be useful. It will serve no purpose if you kill him with this game you're playing. Why are you bothering? Just get him better then let him work.' She didn't flinch as he stood abruptly and covered the space between them in four fast strides. She knew she'd pissed him off and that that wasn't a good idea - but there had been something awful about the yelling last night. It had been like a wounded animal, primal and raw, as though the man knew he was dying slowly and was fighting it. It was especially bad because there hadn't been a sound from him until now. She'd lain awake in the darkness, one of Hectors arms lying heavily across her stomach, and listened to the faint cries from below, knowing that it had to be bad for him to be making any kind of noise at all.

Ramon was in her face now, his temper already boiling. She looked back, refusing to let him get to her.

'Claudia, you are here because of Hector, that's the only reason, do you understand me? _Never_ stand here, in my house, and tell me about my business. It has nothing to do with you. And while I won't hurt you out of respect for my brother, the same does not apply for your father. Or even Sergio. So keep your opinions to yourself in future – and don't go near that man again.' He was serious. Claudia knew that she was safe with him, which was why she talked to him the way she did – but the threat to her family was real. She knew he meant what he said and so she backed down instantly.

'Alright Ramon.' She turned her back and fought down the urge to cry in frustration. She was as much his slave as anybody – she wished that her father had not accepted the job offer. With him and Sergio here, Ramon had an easy way of keeping her in line.

'Hurry up with breakfast. I'm busy today.' He walked back to the table and she went back to cooking. Hector walked in at that point and kissed her on the cheek, she tried to smile while she poured him a coffee. He took it and went to sit with Ramon, leaving her free to think.

It had been awful. She hadn't been able to resist when she'd gotten up, an hour earlier than she normally did. The sounds from the basement had stopped and that was somehow worse, because she didn't know if he was still alive or not. She'd dithered around the house for a while but in the end curiousity had got the better of her and she'd taken a plastic bottle of water and quietly opened the door to the basement. An unpleasant smell had drifted up straight away and her nose had wrinkled of its own accord. It was acrid and raw, a mixture of vomit and sweat and shit. Her mind rebelled at the idea of being down here like that and even though she wasn't sure she wanted to see Jack in this state, she had to know whether she could help. She couldn't just leave him, not after the sounds in the night.

She'd walked quietly and stopped outside the door, hearing nothing from inside. _Oh God, he's dead_. She was sure of it, it was too quiet. So she reached over and flipped the light on and almost dropped the bottle of water in shock when a scream ripped through the air. _Oh mi Dios_…She'd switched the light off straight away and taken a deep breath in relief.

'Jack? It's Claudia…'

'Don't come in here!' The voice was so rough and obviously in pain, the throat had been ripped by thirst and cries. It was barely more than a croak, and yet it had a desperate power that actually made her take a step back from the door.

'Why not? I came to see if you're alright.'

'Please, just go away.' It sounded like he was on the other side of the room, and there was a muffled quality to his tone now.

'I brought you some water. I know you'll be needing it by now.' This had been met with silence. She didn't know if he was hoping she'd just leave, or whether he was thinking about letting her in.

'I'm on the other side of the room. Just open the door and throw it in. Don't turn the light on.'

She had wanted to laugh, even though his words were making her want to cry. He just sounded so worn down, it was impossible to stay cold to him. Also impossible to refuse to follow his instructions – she couldn't take away what little say he had in this. She wouldn't act like Ramon did. She'd opened the door, just a fraction, threw the water in and then shut it again. It was enough – the stench from that short time was like a brick in the face and she knew she wouldn't be able to face actually entering the room without gagging.

'I'll try and come down later.'

'No, don't.' He sounded firm – but she could also hear him feeling his way across the floor towards where the bottle had fallen.

'Are you sure Jack?'

'Yes, I'm sure.' She had turned to leave then but was made to pause suddenly. A quiet 'thank you,' had drifted through the wooden door, and it sounded so soft and so grateful – a tear had actually fallen when she heard it. She couldn't remember the last time someone had said anything so sincerely to her.

'You're welcome.'

She had been glad to get out of the dark, had actually had to lean against the wall for a couple of minutes when she got back to the safety of the kitchen. And now here she was again, leaning against the counter this time, listening to the two brothers laughing over the newspaper while six feet below them, a man was going through pure hell. She sighed and served up breakfast. She shouldn't be surprised. It was fairly typical behaviour after all.

* * *

It was so dark down here. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen the sun, had no idea how long he'd been here now. Time had no meaning anyway, all there was was pain and nightmares and the sure knowledge that he'd never be free again…

Claudia had been here though. God knows how long it had been but the water she'd brought might just have saved his life. He knew he'd been dehydrated to the point of almost losing consciousness, the heat down here was incredible and he'd been vomiting a lot. Not that there was anything left to throw up, he couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten either.

He remembered that she'd turned the light on and he'd thought he was dying – it flashed through him and seemed to burn his eyes into his skull. He couldn't help but scream, it hurt so much. And then he remembered the horror that ran through him when he realised that she planned on coming into the room. He couldn't let that happen. No one could see him like this. Especially not her, not someone who hadn't caused this. And anyway, this room was his whole world now. It was full of his agony and he couldn't bear that someone might intrude on it. He couldn't take it. He just wanted to lie here, tucked into a ball, living through the pain, until he died. Dying was all that mattered. Yet he couldn't stop himself from drinking when he'd had the chance.

He didn't want her to see the mess. It was bound to be awful but he was past caring, that particular humiliation could wait. For now, all there was were the agonizing, tearing cramps that riddled him, the way it hurt to breathe because of his broken rib, the thudding head because of lack of water, the chills and the shakes and the twitches that were so strong he felt that every one might crush his bones.

And when he couldn't take it anymore and passed out, there were dreams of horrible things. There were the people he'd killed in the village, whenever that was, it felt like an eternity since it had happened. But their faces were etched into his memory, he'd never forget them. And every other person that had died by his hand…he could see them too. Some he felt sorry for, some he didn't but they all became demons, haunting him, yelling at him and clawing at him in the dark. He could see eyes watching him all the time, he didn't know if they were real or imagined. And there were things down here, crawling all over him in the dirt, making him scratch and paw at his skin until it was bleeding…

There was another reason why he couldn't let her come in. She wouldn't be safe. Even as he'd told her to throw the bottle in and then go away, he'd been forming a plan in his head. _If I could just crawl over there, I could be ready when the door opened…its dark, she'd never see me… _He'd spoken quickly in the end, half of his mind praying she'd follow his instructions, the other half hoping that she wouldn't. Because he'd kill for something right now, he knew he would. Anything, _anything_, to make this stop…

He'd been yelling. He knew that. He remembered the pain that was threatening to break him in half and he hadn't been able to stop himself. He hadn't cared either, hadn't worried about whether anyone would hear. The game had ended, he'd lost. He couldn't remember the fucking game. Could hardly remember his name at this point. All he knew was that this had to end. And when the spasms passed and he could think again, his thoughts turned away from everything except the man that had put him here.

Ramon was going to die. He couldn't stop seeing his face, the underhanded play that put him here kept running through his mind, whenever he could think that clearly. There was no need for this. It proved nothing. The guy was just toying with him and only to show that he could. He hated him with a passion, wanted nothing better than to put _him_ through this, see how he dealt with it. Wanted to put a gun to his face and pull the trigger, wanted to feel his blood spray onto his skin…he wouldn't regret it. Not for a second. The man was sick, he was evil and…fuck, he'd drunk too fast that last time. It was coming back up again and his muscles were ripping as he heaved, white hot bolts of pain from his side were making spots appear in front of his eyes, he couldn't even make it to the corner where he'd been trying to keep all of this disgusting mess…

Dry heaves that lasted forever. Pain that shut out all thought. Agony gripped him but cold froze him and he was locked, locked into a ball that he'd never be free from. There were no thoughts, no anger, no past, future or present. All there was was pain…and prayers. He prayed over and over, prayed that he wouldn't be able to hold out, prayed that someone would come and end this, prayed that he would die. Right now, that was all he wanted. He just wanted to die.

* * *

Ramon pottered about outside the house, feeling restless. He'd managed to keep his mind occupied with work or partying for the last thirty six hours, he'd hardly given Jack a thought at all. But Claudia's words came back to his mind and bothered him. Jack had been yelling in the night. He thought he should be pleased about that, but he wasn't. She'd also reminded him that he didn't want him to die – and she was right, he didn't. He tried to remember why exactly he'd done what he did. He'd always planned on getting the man addicted to heroin, it would give him control. He'd never planned on getting him clean again, and not like this. He ruefully admitted to himself that his temper had overtaken his reasoning the other night – but it was too late now. He'd have to see it through, backing down would lose him his advantage.

He was glad when he saw Charlie walking up to him, he wanted a distraction. He looked the man over – his jaw was in a brace that made him look ridiculous and he was bent as he walked, a testament to the ribs that Jack had broken. Bruises covered his face, they were slowly fading to yellow which made him look jaundiced, and his right arm was in plaster. The obvious damage that Jack had inflicted made a rush of pleasure run through him – and a kind of pride too. Jack had done this because of _him_ and that made him feel good.

'Morning Charlie.'

'Morning Ramon.' He felt the urge to laugh when the man spoke, he could hardly open his mouth and his words sounded robotic and alien. 'I'd like to do some shooting today. I wondered if I could borrow your sniper rifle – Pietro's using the other ones with the guys.'

'Sure. You know where it is. Claudia will let you in the house.'

Charlie muttered his thanks and limped away and Ramon didn't give the request a second thought. He just lit his cigar and wandered on down to the barn to see if Hector was around. Jack came back to his mind and he sighed. He really needed to fix this problem, maybe his brother would have some idea of what to do.

* * *

Jack stood, trembling against the wall. He really needed to move a bit, his body was stiff from being curled up and he thought that maybe if he could walk some, it would ease the tension in him. It had taken about ten minutes to get upright although it seemed longer and now he had finally achieved it, he felt tired enough to just collapse again. But he was determined that he wouldn't. He would walk around this fucking room, just once, before he let himself sit down again.

It was starting to get easier. His thoughts were clearer and although he ached all over, there were fewer cramps and less cold flushes. It was surprising really, everything he'd ever heard of withdrawal mentioned the first three days as being the worst. But then, that was for people who'd been using a long time. And anyway, he might have been here that long. Now that he was more coherent, he felt that it probably wasn't as long as that but there was no way to tell. His watch had come off his wrist and he wasn't about to go looking for it, no point really, he wouldn't be able to see the face of it.

And he wasn't getting out of here until Ramon let him out, he knew that. The best thing he could do would be to not be a total wreck whenever the time came. If he could keep some semblance of control, it would be a small victory. So he took as deep a breath as his ribs would allow, and pushed off from the wall.

He fell straight away. His legs simply wouldn't hold him, he'd probably been stupid to assume that they would. The landing was hard on his knees, he felt blood seeping into his already filthy jeans where he'd grazed himself. _Fuck Bauer, you pussy! Get the fuck up off this floor…_ He rolled and pushed up again, ignoring the nausea that pulsed through him. _Just stand up man, it'll pass_. It did too, after another struggle that was even longer this time. But he made it, and stood panting with shallow breaths. _OK. So you're not gonna make it if you let go of the wall. So don't let go_. It seemed like a sensible option, the wall could take some of his weight. He set off, feeling like he was trying to conquer Everest or something. It was painfully slow and every step made his muscles scream for rest – they'd been weak before all of this, due to ten days of sitting idle in a chair. But he wouldn't give up. It was a personal battle and every time he felt like he couldn't go on, he saw Ramon's laughing face and anger surged through him, making him keep going.

The room was completely black, he had no idea of which wall he was leaning against or which direction he was headed in. It didn't matter anyway. It crossed his mind that he wanted to avoid the corner that he'd tried to use as a bathroom but the whole place stank so it was hard to tell where that was. Christ, he'd give everything he ever owned for a breath of clean air right now…

He pushed on, fighting the dizziness and pain that was now screaming through his muscles. He honestly didn't know if he was gonna make this or not, he wanted to but his body was letting him down. And then, his fingers touched wood. Well, so now he knew where the door was. Not that that made a difference, but it allowed him to get his bearings a little and that seemed important right now. Every small thing made a difference. He was just thinking about how pathetic that was when his toe snagged on the floor because he couldn't lift his foot high enough – he pitched forward and lost his balance, fell once again with a jarring thud that knocked the wind out of him because of the impact on his broken side. Jack lay, gasping for breath and trying not to cry out in agony as it shot through him again. Well, at least it reminded him that he wasn't dead yet…

The door was to his left and he felt the tiniest draught from the crack at the bottom. It was so faint as to be hardly there but he shifted around on the floor anyway so his face was near it, hoping that just a little bit of clean air would touch him. Just to remind himself that there _was_a world out there, he needed the reassurance. He was gripped by agonizing tremors as he lay, the tiny draught seemed to trigger chills as it hit his face - but he didn't move. He drank it in, accepting the pain it caused in return for the knowledge that there _was_ a place out there that was fresh and clean and light, that didn't hold darkness and isolation and agony. It felt like years since he'd lived it, but now at least he knew it was there.

* * *

Charlie swore under his breath as he hobbled up to the house, cursing Jack with every breath. He knew he'd been stupid to hit the man really, he should have expected some kind of reaction from him. The guy was obviously unbalanced – who could kill like that, so coldly, just because they were told to? Who could fight the way he did, just methodically take people apart, and not feel it? But he hadn't been able to stop himself, he was so angry with what had happened and he hadn't been able to prevent it. He'd underestimated Ramon's interest in Michaels, he must really be considering him for a high-ranking job, otherwise that little ritual would never have taken place.

Which meant that he needed to find out about this guy. Kill him if necessary. There was no room in the world for another man like Salazar – two of them were enough. This one had to be stopped. But then – where the hell was he? No one had seen him for almost two weeks now, rumors were starting to spread that Ramon had killed him. Nothing had been explained by the brothers – but Charlie didn't think he was dead. Ramon would have done it publicly if he was going to. Instead, there was just no mention of his name. He'd be around somewhere, maybe he'd been sent up into Mexico or was escorting a shipment into the States or something.

He knocked on the door of the main house and Claudia let him in. He explained what he wanted and she hesitated, but Ramon had OK'd it so she let him in. Charlie knew where the rifle was and that was why he'd waited until a day where the others were being used to ask for it. He wanted some privacy.

He flicked on the light as he carefully stepped down into the basement. God it stank down here! What the fuck had been going on? He didn't have time to dwell though, he needed to get back before any suspicion was aroused. Closing the door behind him, he walked down a little way so he wouldn't be in earshot of the kitchen. Then he reached into his pocket for his cell phone.

* * *

There was light! Jack jumped in shock when a line appeared under the door and he had to resist the overwhelming urge to yell out when he saw it. _God, please let them be coming to let me out…God please…_ He resisted. If it was Ramon, he would not give him the satisfaction of hearing him shout. He just wouldn't. Hope flared though, as he heard footsteps, and he tried to shuffle away from the door in case it was opened and someone tripped over him. He tried to control his wild exultation, his tremors vanished in the face of possible freedom from this hell…

The footsteps had stopped. He lay still, hoping to get some clue of what was going on. Surely there would be more than one person coming to get him out, unless…shit, unless it was just Ramon coming to taunt him. Or maybe he'd sent someone down to check that he was still alive. Desperation grabbed at his chest. He didn't want someone to appear, just to give him a drink and then leave again. He wanted out! He couldn't bear the thought of more long hours locked down here…he wanted to be clean again and get out of this awful, suffocating heat, to get away from this smell and oppressive blackness.

He could hear a voice. It wasn't Ramon's – it was speaking English and had no accent. It was muffled though and sounded stilted, like the speaker was having difficulty talking. Hope started to fade and he wanted to cry with the hopelessness of all this…but his curiosity was piqued all the same and he inched back across the floor, trying to listen. Maybe he could yell for this person to let him out…he discarded the thought, tempting as it was. He couldn't break now. It didn't matter who it was out there. He couldn't weaken himself. Shoving all desperation away, Jack focus on listening.

'This is Daniels, clearance code 72891Alpha Hotel Lima. Put me through to Wilson.'

_What the fuck…!_

Charlie. It was Charlie's voice…

'Yeah, I need a background check worked up, top priority. Jack Michaels. Claims to be ex-army, Delta force, been working the Circuit in Baghdad for the last few years...about 5' 10", blond hair, blue eyes…yeah I can wait, but make it quick. I don't have long…'

Alpha Hotel Lima… _Oh FUCK!_

His breath was coming in short gasps, all thought of pain forgotten. _He's DEA. He's fucking DEA…_

'It does? OK look, he's becoming a player. Turned up about six weeks ago and they love him. Looks like he's getting promoted pretty fast – I may have to stop him. He's too good to be allowed to carry on…yes I know…look Wilson, we're not going to have a choice. He's away somewhere right now but he'll be back. If he's allowed to continue, he'll be just as big a threat as either one of the Salazar's…well, get the fucking clearance! And do some digging. There's something not quite right about this guy…'

He rolled onto his back silently, his mind hitting warp speed. This changed everything. Jack remembered the blinking light on his cell phone – this was probably what Tony was trying to tell him, that he wasn't alone down here. But what was the best way to handle this? This could be a test for all he knew – Ramon might have told him what to say, just on the off-chance that Jack would overhear and be compelled to reveal something. It maybe wasn't likely, but it was still possible. Who knew what the fuck Ramon might dream up? And there was Charlie, calming talking about taking him out – everything made so much sense now. His jealousy at Jack moving up in the organization, his helping Ramon set him up with those guys in the bar, his friendly questions about Jack's past…he'd been trying to build a profile…_Shit!_

He couldn't risk speaking out and letting him know he'd heard. But Christ, he needed to talk to Tony. This whole thing had just taken on a whole new spin, they had never planned for another guy to be undercover here…how the fuck hadn't they found this out when they were prepping for this mission? How had it managed to slip through?

'Yeah well, I'll call when I can. I've been in the fucking hospital man…don't ask. It'll all be in the report…no! No, I haven't – get off my ass! I'll get there, but I might need this guy Michaels to co-operate with me. See if you can get something on him. Salazar doesn't trust me so much since he showed up…'

_I've gotta talk to Tony…shit, I've gotta get outta here…_

'I've gotta get back. I'll call later, or tomorrow. And Wilson…tell Sarah I called will you? Tell her I'm OK, and that I miss her…alright man. Later.'

There was the sound of a cell phone snapping shut and then the footsteps started again. They walked right past his door and he held his breath, not wanting to give away his presence. He heard a muffled 'Christ, what is that _smell?_' as he walked by, then he seemed to disappear into one of the other rooms. There were some low thumps and the sound of something being moved, then Jack heard him walking back again. He passed the door and moved on, a minute later the light snapped off and everything was dark again.

Jack lay, frantically turning everything over in his mind, his discomfort forgotten. _Charlie's undercover…_ It was a sobering thought. If DEA started digging properly, they might find out who Jack really was. That might not be a bad thing in itself, they might be able to work together to some degree. But if they didn't find out, then Charlie was going to treat him like a hostile – and he couldn't just walk up to the guy and reveal his true identity. It could ruin everything, what if this was all a bluff? The only thing he could do was to wait to get out of here, then talk to Tony. He would be able to verify Charlie's position, and something could be worked out from there.

For the first time, he was glad he was down here and no one knew about it. If the guy thought that he was away somewhere, he would think he had time to deal with this. Maybe Jack could get to his phone before Charlie even knew he was 'back from his trip,' then all this could be squared away before he saw the man again.

And there was also the chance that…he shut the thought down that had popped into his head. _No. I'm not going there…I don't know where we stand yet_. But the thought wouldn't leave him alone…

He rolled carefully, suddenly desperate to move. He couldn't just lie here and wait anymore. Ramon wouldn't let him out if he yelled for help, he'd probably just leave him to suffer more. But that didn't mean he couldn't start helping himself. He could walk round this damn room for fucking hours if he had to, it was the only thing that would help him get over this. His resolve strengthened, Jack put all self-pity and thoughts of pain behind him. He had to get out of here. It was the only thing that mattered now. Time had suddenly become very important, and while he couldn't hurry it along, he could try and be in the best shape possible so that he was as ready as he could be.

His legs shook as they took his weight but he gripped the wall and started to move. He forced himself to straighten, he would not fall this time. Pain wracked his body, his muscles screamed and his ribs and head were throbbing – but he would not stop. _I gotta get outta here…c'mon Ramon, you bastard, come and get me…_


	14. Cum Tacent, Clamant XIV

Chapter XIV

Ramon had avoided the situation all day but after the sun went down there weren't enough things to distract himself with. He paced around for a while, contemplating whether he should leave Jack for another night, but in the end he decided that he'd made his point. And his curiousity was biting at him now, he wanted to know how he was holding up down there. There hadn't been another sound from him, he'd kept half an ear open all day, hoping to hear something. But no, nothing but complete silence.

Of course, that might mean that he was dead. He was surprised to find that the possibility worried him a little, so he put the thought out of his mind. It was hard though – after Charlie had come out with the sniper rifle, Ramon had remembered that he would have had to go into the basement to get it, but he didn't ask about Jack when he came back up so he probably didn't realise he was down there. It also meant that Jack hadn't spoken to him…he chuckled in his head. Of course Jack wouldn't have said anything – that would be a sign of weakness. But still…the junk sickness had to have been bad. Maybe it wasn't bad enough to make him ask for help – or once again, maybe he was dead already.

He sighed. This was getting him nowhere. The only way to know was to go and find out. It had been a full two days now. He might still be suffering, or he might be over the worst of it. Ramon picked up the phone and called Hector. He didn't want any of the guys to see Jack right now, he was sure to look bad and he didn't want anything to undermine his authority later on. Not that it was really likely, they were all scared of him by now but still. Ramon didn't show weakness in front of his employees, nor did Hector – so Jack wouldn't either.

Hector showed up a few minutes later. He lived with Claudia in the other wing of the huge house, both brothers found it convenient to be close to each other. 'What's going on Ramon? I thought we were done for the day.'

'You need to come with me and get Jack out.' He stared hard, daring his brother to point out that all this had been unnecessary. But Hector didn't question him, he just nodded. He understood why the other men shouldn't be involved with this.

They walked through to the kitchen and Hector could sense that Ramon was uneasy. 'What's the matter?' He didn't get an answer but pressed on anyway. 'Are you afraid that he's dead? Or still alive…?'

'I don't know.'

The door was opened and Hector recoiled slightly at the dank smell that rose out of the darkness. Ramon gave no indication that he was aware of it, he just flicked on the light and started down the steps. Hector watched him before following – once again, he was worried about his brother's interest in the American. He'd never seen Ramon this way before and it didn't seem to be showing any signs of abating. He found himself hoping that Michaels' 'probation' would be up soon and that a situation would arise that Jack could prove himself in. _Maybe then he'll relax…_

Ramon found himself holding his breath in anticipation as he neared the cell that Jack was trapped in. He paused outside the door, listening for a sign that he was moving around in there. There was nothing, it was silent. He felt something like fear begin to creep through him as he faced the possibility that he'd pushed too far this time - but he kept his voice strong when he spoke.

'Jack. We're going to open the door. If you're near it, step away.'

Both of them listened hard but there was no indication that he was alive in there. Ramon glanced over at Hector and they were obviously both thinking the same thing. He reached over and flicked the light on in the room, then his eyes rested on the gun in his brother's belt. He looked up and Hector got the hint, he pulled the gun out and let it hang by his side.

He opened the door. A great stinking wave of heat rolled out and hit them, Hector had to turn away for a moment to keep from gagging. Ramon just ignored it, let it rush past him. His eyes were fixed intently on what he could see, even if his brain wasn't quite letting him believe it.

Jack was standing. Not a crawling mess on the floor, he was standing. Leaning on a wall opposite the door, one hand in a pocket of his jeans while the other hung loosely at his side. One foot was flat on the wall so that a knee was bent in front of him, the leg of his trousers was filthy. Ramon took in the details in silence, not knowing whether to be angry or disappointed or happy. The man looked like he was relaxing outside a bar, having a cigarette.

Not quite though. You could only believe he was alright if you ignored the clear ravaging that his body had taken - and it had left its mark. His head was up but his eyes were almost closed against the light. His breathing was quite fast and shallow, even though he was clearly trying to control it. And he was white, pure white, whiter than anyone should ever be. His face shone with sweat, his clothes hung off him and they were smeared with dirt and muck. As was his skin – he'd obviously spent a lot of time on the floor. There was blood too, on the side of his neck, all up the naked arm where he'd ripped the sleeve off his shirt…and patches on the front of his T-shirt too. It looked like he'd scratched through his skin. That had to have hurt.

He moved into the room, never lifting his eyes off the man who hadn't moved yet, ignoring the rest of the room and the physical evidence of what this ordeal had done to him. Hector followed slowly, his face twisted into a disgusted grimace. Ramon walked up to Jack and stood in front of him – he could see now that he was trembling slightly. He saw that it must have been costing him a lot of energy and strength to be standing here like this. And who knew how long he'd been here – certainly since before the door was opened.

'Jack?' He forced his eyes open properly, willing the pain it caused not to show on his face. He couldn't piss Ramon off now, it was imperative that he get out of here. 'How do you feel?'

He prayed his voice would hold out. 'Like crap. But the worst is over, if that's what you're asking.'

Ramon couldn't help but smile. _Dios, this man has guts…_ Silence settled over the room, it was a strange situation. It was hard to know what to say. He didn't feel like being hard on Jack right now but he felt he should. Anything else would be strange after putting him here to start off with. Still, it felt stupid to start yelling or insulting a man who was just standing there, doing nothing wrong. He sighed. The contradictions that Jack caused in him weren't going away it seemed.

'Come on. We'll see if you need a doctor.'

'Not yet.' Ramon stared. Jack gestured around. 'I need to clean this place up first.'

'I can have someone do that.'

'No!' A look of horror crossed his face. 'Please let me do it.'

Ramon eyed him thoughtfully. He was probably right in wanting to do it himself, better to not let any of the guys see the state of the place. And it seemed important to him – acting with benevolence now would help him. He knew a little about the psychology of keeping captives and knocking Jack's legs out from under him on this would only make him resent him more. Letting him keep some pride would be a better option.

'Alright Jack. There's a hose and cleaning equipment in the room at the end of this hallway.' He looked over at his brother. 'Go and get him a drink Hector, just water. Do what you need to do Jack, then go back to your place and clean up. I'll send Claudia over, then I want to talk to you.' He turned and they both left the room, leaving Jack standing exactly where he had been when they came in.

He resisted the urge to sink to the floor, even though his legs were shaking with the effort of keeping him upright. He'd been walking slowly around the room all day, feeling better for the movement. He hadn't got sick for a few hours now and there weren't as many cramps and twitches. He wanted to sleep, just sleep for hours and hours. And he would too – but he had to call CTU. And he had to clean this place up first, he needed the closure and anyway, he couldn't let anybody else see the mess. The evidence of his own weakness was all over the floor and he couldn't bear the thought that it might be displayed – he was grateful to Ramon for not bringing a group of guys down here with him. Grateful that he understood why Jack wanted to do this too, even if he was just doing it to try and rebuild some kind of trust, the sneaky bastard.

He pushed himself off the wall and carefully walked out of the room. Just being able to do that gave him the most enormous feeling of relief. The light was still hurting his eyes but fuck, it felt good to be out of the dark. Being awake and fairly alert for hours had made the claustrophobic atmosphere in there even worse because he was fully aware of just how trapped he was. When he'd heard the footsteps on the stairs and scrambled to his feet, he'd found himself praying once again, praying that they were coming for him. And not because he had to make that phone call, just because he wanted to be out of there.

He found the hose and yanked on it, pulling it after him as he walked back. There was a shallow funnel for drainage cut into the concrete floor outside the rooms and Jack spared a moment to wonder how many people had been kept down here and how much blood had to be washed away afterwards. He supposed he should count himself lucky. That thought made him chuckle in his head as he started spraying the walls down. _Lucky, Jack…?_ But he had been. He could be dead now, before having managed to get any information back to CTU. And Ramon had to be feeling like he'd regained his power base now, that could only be a good thing.

He was startled by the arrival of Hector beside him, he hadn't heard him coming. He held out a bottle of water silently and Jack turned off the hose and took it gratefully, careful not to drink too fast in case it made him ill again. Hector just watched as he sipped and he watched him back, trying to decipher his thoughts. Eventually he spoke and Jack was surprised by his words.

'I'm glad you're alright. I thought for a while there that you were dead.' There was nothing he could really say to that so he just nodded and tried to smile a bit. He was noticing that his face still hurt from where Ramon had hit him.

'What time is it Hector? And what day?'

'You've been here for two days. It's Monday night now.'

'You want me to work tomorrow?'

Hector stared. _Is this guy for real!_ 'I don't know. We'll see if you need a doctor first. Ramon will let you know when he talks to you later.'

Jack just nodded and he turned the hose on again. He didn't want to work the next day but it was important that he let them know that he would if they wanted him to. Hector left without saying anything else and Jack focused on cleaning. _Just get through this, find a way to make your call, then you can sleep…hang on man, not much longer…_ Christ, this fucking hurt…

* * *

He had to stop walking once he got outside. Not because of fatigue or sickness – just because the feel of the air was the sweetest thing he'd ever felt in his life. He drank it in, relished the way it brushed across his skin, breathed as deeply as he could through the pain from his broken rib. It was like being given life back, proper life – suddenly he could see the stars and the space around him seemed enormous…all the claustrophobia disappeared and the realisation that he was no longer confined s'ent such a strong wave of relief through him that it almost drove him to his knees. But he held firm, merely stopped for a moment and raised his face to the sky, closed his eyes and let it wash through him. Then he carried on, determined to get through the rest of the evening as quickly as possible and then put all this behind him.

Claudia was waiting at the front door of his house. He frowned when he saw her there, he had wanted to get clean before anyone saw him.

'Jack, I'm glad you made it out.' She wanted to tell him that she'd been worried when she'd heard his cries, but knew she couldn't. 'How are you feeling?'

He motioned her inside with a nod of his head. Maybe he could ask her something that had been bugging him. 'I'll be alright. Look, I wanted to say…' This was embarrassing. 'I wanted to thank you for coming down. I guess it was this morning – that water probably saved my life.'

She looked away and bit her full bottom lip and Jack was suddenly struck by her beauty. He immediately refused to let himself think about it. Her looks meant nothing to him. She probably hated him anyway, he was just another employee to her and that was a good thing. She'd been nice to him the few times they'd met but he didn't want to like her.

'Anyway, Ramon said he'd ask you to come over but I need to go clean up. And I'm alright, I don't need a doctor. Just a shower.' He looked at her, she didn't look like she was going to say anything. _Can I risk it…?_ He didn't have a choice, he needed to know. 'I expect he'll know when I'm done and be over, right?'

She looked puzzled. 'What do you mean?'

He played the role of pissed off just-released prisoner. 'Well come on…he lets me use this house but he obviously doesn't trust me. I presume he's watching, or someone is.'

Her confusion cleared and she laughed out loud. 'You're a paranoid man Jack. I suppose you must be in your line of work. But you needn't worry – this house was built for their mother before she died. It wasn't put here to spy on arrogant Americans. You can go ahead and shower without fearing that someone is watching you.' She looked genuinely amused and Jack hid his happiness at her words by feigning embarrassment.

'Oh OK. I guess I am paranoid. Well…could you please tell Ramon that if he still wants to talk to me, it should an hour or so before I'm presentable.'

She nodded, still with a small smile playing at her lips. 'I'll come back in forty five minutes and check that none of your injuries are serious.' She walked over to the sink and ran a glass of cold water, which she handed to him. 'You need to drink a lot, you're dehydrated.'

He accepted the water, wishing she would just go but feeling curious at the same time. 'You must get bored, patching guys up all the time. Where'd you learn how to do it?'

She shrugged. 'My mother was a nurse. I learned things from her. And I don't have to do this as often as you might think – it's mostly just you that seems to take the brunt of…' she trailed off and gestured towards the house, indicating Ramon he supposed. 'Anyway, I'll let you clean up. You're right, you _definitely_ need a shower. If you put those clothes in a bag, I'll burn them for you later on too. I think they're beyond saving.'

She walked away without looking back and Jack watched her leave, feeling slightly amused by her coolness. Then he put all thoughts of her out of his mind. He just didn't have the energy to think about her right now, although some part of his brain did register the thought that she might be a useful ally in the future. But for now, he had to call in. Tony would be going out of his head – he'd missed the call completely last week and it was kind of surprising that nothing had happened because of that.

He headed up to the bathroom and turned on the shower, making it as hot as it would go. He was desperate to get in but not just yet…he went to his bag, thankful that it had remained undisturbed in his absence, and reached for the scrambled cell. He wouldn't normally use it for a check-in but the information on Charlie was sensitive enough to warrant its use.

The light was still flashing on it as he pulled it out of its hiding place and he wasted no time on taking it into the bathroom. He locked the door behind him and turned on the taps over the sink as well, to help muffle the sound of his voice. Hopefully Ramon would stay away for the hour he'd requested. Jack lowered the toilet seat and sat down, trying to figure out how he was going to explain missing his call slots.

The switchboard picked up after one ring. It had to go through them because it was a secure line and he had to give his security ID.

'Switchboard.'

'This is Bauer, clearance code Alpha two four Romeo one one Echo nine one Foxtrot. Put me through to Almeida.'

'Hold please.'

He waited impatiently, listening to the clicks that meant his call was being scrambled. But when the call was answered, it wasn't Tony on the line.

'Field Ops.'

'Who is this?'

'It's Chase – that you Jack?'

'Yeah. I asked to talk to Tony, where is he?'

'He's not here. I think he went to Division – probably another urgent meeting about you.'

Jack swore. He didn't have time for this – Edmunds was good but he didn't know him well enough to trust him with this stuff. 'Is Michelle there?'

'Yeah, hold on.'

The phone went quiet and Jack got more and more wound up as he waited. What the fuck was this!

'Jack! Thank God! Where the hell have you been?'

'Michelle I don't have time to explain everything. Tell me first – you haven't started to pull the plug because I didn't call have you?'

'No we haven't, although we probably should. We thought you were dead. Tony managed to convince Chappelle to hold off though.'

'Where is Tony?'

'At a meeting. Chase is calling him now to let them know that you've been in contact. Now what's up? What's with using this phone?'

'I found out this morning that I'm not alone down here. There's a DEA agent in place, been here for about a year. I overheard him calling in – the name's Charles Daniels, he was talking to a guy named Wilson. I don't think he's aware of my position so he's treating me as a hostile – but he's digging for information on me. You gotta make sure my cover is airtight from all angles. Also, you need to check that he's for real so I can work out how to play this. I may be able to join forces with him.'

'Shit. OK, we'll look into it, But Jack, you know it's not likely you'll be able to work together. DEA will bring Salazar down as soon as they have enough evidence of major shipping into the US. If this guy's been there a year, he's gotta be close to having that. They're not going to hold off on the arrest because you want him for something else – they're not interested in the terrorism aspects.'

He knew. It was something that he'd been mulling over for hours as he paced his cell that day – DEA wouldn't give up the Salazar scalp easily. He was too big, the publicity for them would be too huge. Politics demanded that the bust of a major drug lord would be front-page news – and if Ramon was caught for that, there was no way in hell he'd give up his terrorist connections. He wouldn't want to implicate himself further.

'Yeah. Well regardless, you need to check him out and I'll call you tomorrow to get what you've found. I can't move on him until I know he's for real.'

'OK Jack, I'll get right on it.'

'What did you guys want to talk to me about?'

'What do you mean?'

'The chip was activated to alert me – you got information I need to know?'

'Tony probably did it to find out why you haven't called. As far as I know, he's not aware of this DEA guy.'

Jack couldn't believe what he was hearing. It sounded like they weren't working together at all up there. 'Michelle, why aren't you up to speed on this? You should know when that chip gets activated.' He was pissed off and didn't bother trying to hide it.

'Jack, Tony's been running this thing almost exclusively. We have other active protocols here – and we can't do anything about Salazar until we hear from you. Which we haven't, up until now. So Tony's overseeing and the rest of us are ready to back up when needed – but we need things to work with. None of us are expecting you to come up with anything substantial just yet, you haven't been there long enough – but we'll be ready when you start feeding us, OK?'

She was right, but it still pissed him off to hear it. 'Yeah fine. I'll need to talk to Tony tomorrow though OK? I'll call about this time.'

'Fine.' She hesitated and he waited. 'Are you OK? Your voice sounds rough.'

The sudden kindness in her tone almost brought a lump to his throat. 'I'm fine. I'm getting somewhere. I'll call tomorrow.'

She wanted to say more but didn't know what. 'OK Jack. Take care of yourself alright?'

'Sure.' They both hung up and it was only then that Jack realised that he hadn't asked after Kim. She would have started work by now – he hadn't even thought about it. The realisation made him feel a little sick and he dropped his head into his hands for a moment…but just a moment. Then he got up and started to strip, glad to be able to get the dirt off him at last.

He'd almost scalded his skin off in the shower and it hurt like hell when he rubbed soap into the raw patches that he'd scratched off. He cursed when he saw them, he didn't even remember doing that. There were vague recollections of being convinced that insects were eating through his flesh – he supposed he'd been trying to scratch them out. His side was still screaming at him where Ramon had broken a rib, his jaw had a large bruise on it, although the lump had gone down, and every muscle ached and trembled. He really needed to rest properly, he couldn't ignore what his body was telling him anymore. He'd pushed through physical limits all his life, he knew that it had gone too far this time. He'd be useless if he didn't get some time to recover.

It took about twenty minutes for all the dirt to be gone but he stayed under the water, bracing his arms against the wall to take some of the pressure of his legs. It just felt so good to be clean again. But Claudia and Ramon would be here soon and he had to be ready. He didn't want to get caught in just a towel again. So eventually he turned the water off and stepped out, dried himself off carefully, brushed his teeth, shaved and then walked out into the bedroom to get dressed. He found a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, then walked downstairs to find a plastic bag to put his ruined clothes in. That done, he hid the cell phone again and sat down to wait, trying desperately to keep his eyes open.

He had to work out what to do. This was a situation that wasn't going to go away. And Michelle was right – if Charlie had been here a year, he surely wouldn't need much more time to gather enough evidence against Salazar. He was surprised it had taken this long…Charlie knew what Ramon did and had been helping him – why hadn't he been brought down already?

They mustn't have got enough specifics yet. DEA would only be interested in stuff being shipped into the US after all, all the smaller stuff around South America and overseas weren't their problem. Either that, or they were waiting for a deal to go down – one that they knew would be coming but hadn't yet. Still, it didn't make much sense…

There was a light knocking on the front door. Claudia obviously, Ramon wouldn't bother to knock. He called out for her to come in, he didn't have the energy to get up and open the door himself. She entered, saw him in an armchair and smiled slightly – he looked awful, but better than he had.

'Feel better?'

'Yeah, a bit. I really don't need anything though Claudia, just sleep. Is Ramon coming soon?'

'He'll be here in a while. Stand up please.'

Her voice brooked no argument, and he sighed and pulled himself up. She leaned over and started pressing her fingers into his side, making him wince. 'Look, it's broken, OK? I don't need you to tell me that.' She pushed again, ignoring him and he couldn't stop himself from reaching down and grabbing her wrist to make her stop. She looked up, straight into his eyes – and they paused there for a moment. All Jack could think of was how much he wanted to be left alone…but it was nice somehow, having her here. She was no threat to him, posed no danger. And she was trying to help, even if it was just because she had been told to.

He let go of her wrist and muttered 'I'm sorry. It's just better if it's left alone, that's all.'

She nodded and left it, turned her attention to his cuts instead. He winced again when she dabbed them with antiseptic but was willing to put up with that – the amount of dirt he'd been covered in, this was probably a good idea. He didn't need any more infections. Claudia stayed quiet. He didn't know if it was because she was mad or didn't care or what, but he felt he should make an effort.

'You're good at this.'

She shrugged. 'I've done it a lot. And I've had practice recently – I've been looking after Charlie since he got out of the hospital.'

He felt guilt for the first time. If Charlie was one of the good guys, it was understandable that he'd punched him in the face. He must have been truly disgusted with what he'd seen. 'How is he?'

'He'll be alright. They had to wire his jaw though. And you broke his arm and all of his ribs on one side. Some muscle and nerve damage but it should heal eventually.' She was so matter-of-fact about it, like it was no big deal.

'I'll go and see him.'

'I wouldn't bother. I've talked to him a little bit – he's angry at you. At Ramon too I think….' She stopped abruptly, probably aware that she shouldn't really say things like that.

'Is he thinking about leaving? He's a good worker, I wouldn't want to lose him.'

'I don't know Jack, he wouldn't tell me if he was going to would he? Besides, he won't be allowed to walk away, you know that.'

She was right. 'Is he still in the bunkhouse? I need to talk to him about some other stuff anyway.'

'Yes. He's got your old room for the time being.'

Jack hoped the questions wouldn't arouse any suspicions but he thought he'd masked them well enough as business-like. She finished cleaning him up, announced that he shouldn't cover the grazes if he wanted them to heal quickly, and turned away to leave.

'Hey Claudia.' She threw a glance over her shoulder. 'Thank you. I'll try not to need your services again.'

She smiled slightly. 'Oh I expect you will. Your type always does.' He was left alone, wondering what _that_ was supposed to mean. But Ramon walked in as she walked out so he was distracted soon enough, Jack caught him rolling his eyes when Claudia ignored his greeting. _So they don't like each other…that's interesting. And possibly useful…_

Ramon stood about six feet away from him, looking down to where he sat. Once again, Jack felt incredibly vulnerable and as always, Ramon's black eyes gave nothing away. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared back, unwilling to give any more ground than he had to.

'You don't need a doctor then?' His voice was rough but Jack could tell that he was making it so, on purpose. He didn't sound genuinely pissed off or anything and the best thing he could do now was just to play along. There was no point turning this into a whole other ordeal, better just to move past it and keep going.

'No, I'll be fine. I do need to sleep though.'

Ramon smiled. At least the tough-guy façade had dropped for a moment – that was good. If you were at your limits, it was always best to admit it rather than keep going and end up being useless. He was reminded again that Jack was an extremely smart man…he knew when to concede and when to play. Ramon appreciated that in him. As long as he kept going when he had to of course.

'Well, you won't be working tomorrow, so sleep as much as you like. Come up to the house whenever you get up. We need to talk properly, but I won't make you do it now.'

'I need to see Charlie tomorrow too Ramon.'

The atmosphere shifted slightly in the room – Jack wasn't asking permission. He was _telling_ him…he didn't like that much but he was also curious.

'Why?'

'He's a good man to have working here and Claudia just told me that I injured him pretty badly. I need to go and make sure that there's no hard feelings, otherwise he'll get resentful. It'll be better if I keep him on side, he'll be more useful to you that way. Is he working with the other guys?'

Ramon stared down at him. _Who cares if he's resentful? He'll do what he's told. What do we care whether he likes us or not?_ He kept his mouth shut though. Jack was good at this stuff.

'Alright Jack, talk to him if you want. He works with the others sometimes, you'll have to go and find him if he's not around. Do it before you come up to the house then, and you can tell me all about his hurt feelings.'

Jack ignored the sarcasm and just nodded. 'And did you tell them where I've been for the last two weeks? Do they know about all this?'

'No. You angered me Jack, but I'm not going to cut you down in the eyes of the workers. Not unless you do something really bad of course.' He let the slight warning hang in the quiet air for a moment, letting Jack know that his directness right now was being noted and not entirely appreciated. 'As far as they know, you've been in Mexico doing something for me. That's all they need to know. Don't tell them any differently.'

'OK.'

'And Jack…' He paused, not sure whether to continue. But his gut said 'yes' and that's what normally drove him. 'I have some associates from out of town coming in a couple of days. I want you to meet them with Hector and myself. I'll tell you more tomorrow.'

Jack just nodded but his tired mind exalted. _Yes!_ For whatever reason, Ramon was going to let him in some more. 'OK Ramon. Whatever you need.'

The man nodded and smiled thinly and Jack was once again aware of his eyes on his body as he sat there. He wished he'd stop it.

'See you tomorrow then Jack.'

He left and Jack finally relaxed. There was a lot to think about, a lot to plan – but it could wait until the morning. Right now, he just had to sleep. He forced himself out of the chair and up the stairs otherwise he would have just passed out where he sat. He managed to pull the sheets back on the bed but as he lay down, he was asleep before he could cover himself again, his mind thankfully at rest for the first time in weeks.

* * *

He woke late as he knew he would. He'd been out for hours, the light streaming through the window told him that it was at least midday, possibly later. He lay still, letting his brain wake up at its own pace. Part of him wanted to go back to sleep but as soon as he thought about it, he remembered Charlie and that Ramon wanted to talk to him about these 'visitors' – that was going to be important. As soon as work came into his head, he was properly awake and there was no way he could lie there and let it go.

He turned over so he could get up and yelped in pain, he'd forgotten about his ribs. He had a thumping headache too, he obviously needed to drink more. So he propelled himself out of bed carefully and headed to the bathroom for a drink of water and a shower. He didn't think he'd ever be able to shower enough to get the memories of the last couple of days out of his head, but he'd damn well try. _Nothing like being covered in shit to make you appreciate being clean…fuck, let it go man. It's over…_ It was still in his head though and he didn't like it.

He dressed and walked downstairs, noticing he was hungry. He'd almost forgotten what it was like to be hungry, drugs had killed his appetite for a few weeks now. Jack smiled when he reached the kitchen – there was food in the fridge. Claudia had obviously come in and left him some stuff that morning, it had been empty before today. He made himself a sandwich and ate a candy bar, washed down a few aspirin and finally felt ready to move on.

Charlie had to be dealt with. Right now. Jack didn't waste any time, just walked straight out of the door into the blinding afternoon heat and across the courtyard. The bunkhouse was about two hundred yards away, tucked behind the barn, but he didn't see any other people as he walked. Everywhere seemed deserted, there wasn't even a sound from the horses in the stables as he passed, no gunshots that meant the men were training somewhere. It was like everyone had disappeared.

The bunkhouse was empty too as he entered, although it was in its normal mess. It looked like they'd had another few parties recently but Jack didn't care, he just stepped through the trash and walked down to his old room. He could feel that there was no one in there but he knocked on the doorframe anyway and called Charlie's name quietly. There was no reply so he walked through the curtain and surveyed the small room.

The guy didn't have much stuff. He kept his ears open as he started to search through it methodically – clothes, toiletries, a couple of books, some porn magazines. There was a gun in the top drawer of the old dresser, it was loaded but didn't look like it had been used recently, even though it had been cleaned and kept in good condition. Not government-issue though, the guy had obviously bought one when he'd got here, just like Jack had. He also came across a small wallet that contained pictures – a woman and two children stared out at him. The woman was pretty but not stunning, with long brown hair and the kids – a boy and a girl - were both under ten. Cute too. But it was stupid of the man to bring photos down here with them, unless they were part of his cover of course.

There was nothing incriminating here, but then, Jack would have been surprised if there were. He started to search in the less obvious places, looking for documents or _anything_ that shouldn't be here. Checking the backs of the drawers yielded nothing, as did looking in the bathroom and behind the mirrors. Jack swore – it would make everything so much easier if he could just find something that would prove that Charlie was undercover. Then he wouldn't have to rely on the bureaucracy back in LA to sort it out – he could just confront the man and they could work it out from there before going to their superiors.

As a last resort he gingerly lowered himself to the ground and checked under the bed. His fingers searched along the bed frame…and suddenly hit something that was out of place. He prised it free – it was another wallet, only larger than the last one. _What the fuck?_ Jack sat on the floor and opened it up…and felt his heart sink as he surveyed the contents.

He'd been keeping a written record of shipments into the US. _Is he fucking crazy! That's what telephones are for!_ But Charlie probably didn't have the position or privacy needed to be able to call whenever he felt like it – these were obviously recent shipments. Maybe he wrote them down so he could remember the specifics in between calls, but still – he should be able to keep that shit in his head.

Jack looked at the next papers – there was information on him written down. Charlie was obviously suspicious of him, but fucking hell…being here for a year had made him sloppy. What would he have done if Ramon had found this stuff? He looked at the next paper – and hit gold. It was written in a scribbled hand, obviously he'd overheard a conversation and had written it down quickly before he forgot it. It talked about people coming to meet Ramon a few days from now, the words 'Middle Eastern?' were there, as were a few names. At the bottom of the page he'd written 'Not drug related – but obviously criminal. Get a cross check and pass info on to other agency.' Jack turned the paper over. There was another note.

'Expect meeting between R, H and their friends to conclude next Saturday, probably in MC. Set up extraction for same weekend, last shipment going to Arizona same night.'

Jack let the paper drop as he slumped backwards against the dresser, ignoring the pain in his side. Fuck. Charlie obviously knew something he didn't. Something was going down – and he was preparing to get out. Which meant that Ramon would be either arrested, or forced to move. If they just moved to another property, that would be OK – Jack would go with them. But he couldn't risk Ramon getting arrested. It wasn't an option. Charlie had heard about these guys coming in, if they were Middle Eastern and possibly not drug-related…chances are it was part of Ramon's other business dealings. Terrorism. Which meant that Jack couldn't afford to let him be scared off. Whatever this meeting was about, it had to happen with no interruptions – it was the first time he'd got close to getting any information that would actually be useful to CTU. _Shit, this is a mess._

A car door slammed, and Jack jumped. He quickly gathered up the papers and put them back where they'd been hidden, then got up off the floor. He heard footsteps, but no voices. He wondered whether he should leave but it was too late, the door to the bunkhouse was opened and someone was coming this way. Jack sat on the bed and waited – if it was one of the guys, they wouldn't question why he was here.

The footsteps came closer and Jack could hear laboured breathing. The person was approaching – it had to be Charlie. It was confirmed when the curtain moved aside and he stopped in the doorway, staring at the man sitting on his bed. Jack looked up and tried not to let the shock appear on his face – Christ, he'd really done a number on the guy. He was wearing a brace to keep his jaw still, and his face was still yellow from the bruises that hadn't quite disappeared yet. His arm was in plaster and he was leaning to one side, obviously unable to straighten properly. And he was pissed off. Jack knew he should feel more guilty than he did but he didn't – the guy had attacked him in anger and he should have known what the consequences would have been. Also…he couldn't help but be annoyed, and disappointed in him. _Who the fuck goes undercover and leaves evidence lying around like you have? Didn't you get taught anything man?_ He knew it was irrational but he couldn't help it. This guy was a threat to his objective here, regardless of the fact they were both technically on the same side.

And he couldn't trust him. Charlie would blow him if he had to, he knew that. He couldn't let it happen.

'What are you doing here? Get off my fucking bed man.'

He didn't move. 'Hey, you did the same thing to me once, remember? I don't think you're in any position to complain about invasion of privacy.' _Fuck, this is a great start. Try again Bauer. _'Look, I just got back last night. I wanted to come and see if you were OK – and to apologise. I went too far.'

Charlie just looked at him. His eyes were cold and Jack could feel the hostility coming off him. 'You've been going too far since you got here Jack.' It wasn't easy for him to talk with the brace but his words dripped with anger nonetheless. 'Where have you been?'

'Up in Mexico, doing some stuff for Ramon.'

'You should have stayed there. Or gone back to wherever you came from.'

'What's that supposed to mean?' He stared hard and Charlie held his gaze. Then the man seemed to realise that he wasn't helping his situation any. He dropped his eyes and backed down a little.

'Nothing.' But Jack wouldn't let it lie. He had meant something by that.

'Don't give me 'nothing'. Why should I stay away?'

'Forget it. I'm just pissed at you for this that's all.' He indicated the brace but he wouldn't meet Jack's eyes.

'I don't think I will forget it.' He got up from the bed and took a few steps closer, noting the way that Charlie drew back from him as far as he could without actually moving his feet. 'What's going on man? I just came here to see if you were OK and you're acting weird.'

There was silence for a moment but he finally raised his eyes and looked at Jack. His anger was obvious – but there was something else too. Not fear…it was almost like resignation. 'You're good at what you do. But you killed those people and you didn't have to. You could have said no. You're Ramon's favourite boy – but you're just as bad as he is.'

There was a horrible tone of defeat in his voice and Jack felt sorry for him. He knew that killing those people was going to haunt him – but he did it because he didn't have a choice. There was something larger at stake here and he'd do the whole thing again if he had to.

But Charlie obviously couldn't deal with what he'd seen. He wondered for a moment whether the man's Marine background was faked – it probably was, judging by this performance. If it was real, he'd expect more steel from the guy, as it was, he looked and sounded out of his depth. And he was. No one would leave written evidence lying around if they truly knew what they were doing.

This was dangerous, more than he'd realised. An expert would be easy to deal with. Jack would explain what he was doing here and they'd be able to work together – but he couldn't now. He looked at Charlie and saw that it would never work. The man would follow his orders from DEA regardless of anything else, because it was all he had to hang onto. Any new information would make him unpredictable and they might both end up getting killed.

'You thinking of going somewhere Charlie?' His voice was soft. He already knew the answer but he needed to see the man's reactions. A cold weight was settling over him. And Charlie wasn't meeting his eyes anymore.

'No of course not.' He was looking at the floor and his voice was quiet too. _Fuck, he's falling apart…_

'I did what I had to. Cant you understand that? Those people would be dead whether I pulled the trigger or not.'

'And better them than you, right?' He looked up finally and there were tears in his eyes. 'Doesn't it bother you? How can you do that and just let it go? You're not human man. And what about what you did to me? And those guys at the bar…?' His voice trailed off and in that moment, Jack let go of any hope he'd had that this would turn out well. This kid had lost his nerve and was getting ready to run. And he was going to try and take Salazar with him.

He couldn't let it happen.

The familiar quiet took over his mind and he knew what he had to do. The mission took over. Nothing could pull him away from that and Charlie was in the way. And in the silence that blanketed the room, Ramon's words came back to him as clearly as if he'd been standing here next to him… _Do you believe in God Jack?… Who knows what it will be for you. I don't know how long it will take, it could be a long time. But whether you believe in God or not, it will happen. And your actions determine whether you are worthy of us…_

He put his hand on Charlie's shoulder and felt the man shy away from his touch. 'Don't do anything stupid man.'

'Stupid Jack? Like what? Refuse to shoot innocent people? Because yeah, that would be _really_ stupid, right?' He was bubbling over with anger. Jack wanted to reach him but he was at a loss as to what to say. Horror was starting to knaw at his insides, he knew what he was going to do and couldn't seem to stop it. But he tried one last time, ignoring his mind that told him it was useless.

'We do what's necessary…' Charlie shoved his hand away from his shoulder and glared at him, all weakness gone. Fury shone from his wide blue eyes that looked so young.

'Get away from me Jack. You're gonna get yours…' He stopped, tried to control himself. It took a minute and Jack watched him, feeling almost like he watching this from a great distance, his mind focused and yet detached at the same time. 'I'm going to take a shower. I'd appreciate it if you were gone when I get out.' He moved away and Jack just stood. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to make himself think of something else to do. But there was nothing – he'd already made up his mind and he knew it was the right play.

He heard the water start up in the bathroom, heard the stall door slide open. He waited another minute. Then he walked back over to the bed and sat down. A moment later, his hand reached under and he slowly and deliberately pulled out the documents he'd found earlier. Another minute passed while he held them in his hand and thought of nothing, then he stood up and walked out into the sunshine.

The walk to the house seemed to pass in a second. He didn't acknowledge Claudia as she opened the door, didn't register anything as he walked into the kitchen where Ramon and Hector sat. He saw their faces change when they looked at him, from laughing at something to curiousity.

'What's the matter Jack?'

He held out the documents. 'I just came from Charlie's room. I've been worried about him and I searched it.'

'You searched his room?' Hector was scanning the papers, a look of anger growing on his face. But Jack spoke first and he barely recognized the sound of his own voice.

'He's a DEA agent Ramon. He's planning to take you down. We have to stop him.'

Time stopped. The three of them stared at each other for an eternity and there was no sound at all. Jack was aware only of the eyes on him, his mind was empty.

_Your actions determine whether you are worthy of us_…

Hector was the first to move. He glanced down at the papers again, then up at his brother. He nodded that Jack was telling the truth. Ramon's face blackened in an instant and his eyes flashed, when he spoke it was with a venom that Jack had never heard from another human being before.

'Where is he now?'

'In his room.'

'Hector, go and get some men. Tell the others to prepare the barn.'

He left immediately and it was just the two of them. Always just the two of them. Jack looked at him and he looked back, their eyes locked. It was a long time before Ramon broke the silence and when he spoke, Jack found that he already knew what the words were going to be.

'We'll find out what he knows and what he's passed on. You will make him talk. You'll make him talk for a long time.' He walked up to Jack and stood by his shoulder, leaning in to make sure he caught every word. 'And when it's over, you will have proved yourself.' Jack turned his head slightly, once again he was staring straight into the darkness of those eyes. 'I told you this day would come…'

And he left the room, leaving Jack standing alone. Before he turned to follow, he paused for a moment, allowing the hugeness of what he had just done to sink into his consciousness. His mind was numb and he was glad…but he knew he was going to feel it someday. There would be no escaping from this one, not ever.


	15. Cum Tacent Clamant XV

Authors Note: This chapter contains GRAPHIC violence. Do NOT read if you are of a squeamish and/or sensitive disposition. It's the only truly graphic chapter in the story, its necessary or I wouldn't put it in - but you have been warned. Some people have been fine with it, others have not.

And a big thank you to anyone who has had read and/or reviewed ANY of my stories since I've been posting here - I really appreciate it. :)

* * *

Chapter XV

Jack followed Ramon slowly, his head down. He felt numb, like this wasn't really happening. But he knew it was – because he'd made it happen.

There was no feeling at all. He just followed. They left the house, Ramon walking briskly in front of him, anger emanating from every fibre of his being. Jack wouldn't be surprised if he never had to lay a hand on Charlie, it looked like Ramon might just beat him to death with his own fists the second he laid eyes on him.

No. He wouldn't be that lucky. Jack didn't know why torture hadn't really occurred to him when his mind had been made up – he knew Charlie would die of course, but he hadn't thought about the cause of death. _(Me. I'm the cause of death)_ He hadn't really thought he'd be the one to do it either, although he should have known.

Would it have made a difference to the decision?

_No_.

He lifted his head as they neared the bunkhouse and his eyes were hard. He would see this through. It was all he could do and anyway, he deserved to be the one to do it. He shouldn't escape the consequences of his decision. Yeah, it would be hard afterwards. But that was life. This life, that he had chosen. Suck it up Bauer.

Hector was waiting outside with five or six guys, all of whom looked confused. They held guns but didn't seem to know why. Jack looked back at the barn, he could hear people moving about in there. They were obviously setting something up. Ramon looked at him and he met his gaze coolly, unblinking and strong. He felt no pain from his own injuries, no tiredness and no remorse. He just felt the heat from the sun as it blazed down the way it always did.

They moved inside, Ramon in the lead, Hector and Jack behind him. They were about to burst through the curtain when Jack said 'Wait,' in a low voice. Eyes swung to glare at him and he was quick to explain 'He's got a gun in there. I don't know if he knows we're coming but…' He held out his hand towards Hector, the man understood and handed his weapon over. Jack took it and walked up to curtain, glancing through the crack. There was no one in the room, but the shower was turned off. And there were sounds of movement and…something, from the bathroom.

He moved in, motioning for a couple of the guys to follow. They did, tentatively, and Jack moved silently forward, up to the bathroom door. There was no lock on it and he decided to test the water before risking opening it.

'Charlie?'

There was a pause, and then…'Go away Jack. I told you I don't want to talk to you.' His voice sounded thick, even through the brace and Jack frowned. Then his brow cleared – he recognised that tone. The man was fucking crying.

He swung the door open and went in with his gun leading the way. A part of his mind said that it would be easier if Charlie fired at him – at least he'd have an excuse to kill him and end it quickly. But no, they needed to know what he'd passed on and whether this position was compromised or not.

There was no gunfire. Charlie stood, naked apart from a towel around his waist. His face was flushed and there was a picture in front of him, Jack glanced down and recognised the woman from the other picture he'd seen, the one with the kids. Presumably his wife. _Christ, he's been jerking off in here_. The thought repelled him in a strange way – at first he figured it was because the idea of being around another guy while he did that was kind of gross. Or maybe he could admit the truth, which was that he was about to murder an innocent man, and thinking about that guy with a wife made him sick to his core.

'Jack, what the fuck are you doing?' There were tears in his eyes, even though he'd tried to wipe them away. But they were forgotten at the sight of three men standing there with guns to his head. He tried to hide the picture and Jack wondered why, but discarded the thought. Who cared? Better to just get this over with.

He tucked the gun into his waistband, the other guys had him covered. He took Charlie by the arm and said in an almost gentle voice 'Ramon and Hector want to talk to you.'

He looked down at the hand on his arm, then up at the guns. Then into Jack's eyes. And he knew. Jack could see that he knew. His blue eyes went wide, panic made them cloud over and his breathing became faster. He registered everything he saw with dispassion, but he didn't need to see it to know – the smell of fear filled the small room, it crawled up from his hand that held on to the man and made his flesh break out in goose bumps. 'Don't keep them waiting man. It'll only make it worse.'

'Jack…' Pure panic.

'Come on.' _Fuck, I'm coaxing a man out of the door, where he's going to be killed. By me. Ramon's asked me to do it and I can't say no…_

…_your actions determine whether you are worthy of us…_

Charlie moved eventually and all Jack could think of was that the guy was only wearing a towel. He hoped Ramon would let him get dressed…but of course he wouldn't.

They moved out of the bathroom. Charlie stopped in the doorway – Ramon and Hector just stood there, side by side, their presence and combined anger was overpowering in the enclosed space. It was like walking into treacle and Jack found himself forming a mental barrier just so he could think through it. No one moved or said a word. Jack felt Charlie's arm start to tremble in his hand and then he noticed that a bead of sweat was running down his own back. And there was a fly buzzing against the window. He could see dust swirling through the air, dancing in the shafts of light that fell through the pane.

The surrealism of the scene hit him like a blow to the chest, and suddenly he wasn't detached anymore. He was holding a dead man in his hand. A man who would be still be breathing tonight if he had resisted the urge to save his mission. A man who worked for the US Government.

A man with a wife and two young children. He remembered the picture. His son had inherited those wide blue eyes.

The heat swelled over him and made him feel sick, he was reminded that he wasn't in good shape himself. But he stood and hid it all, kept his face strong and impassive. He would see this through. He could throw up later.

Ramon had walked forward. His eyes burned holes in Charlie's skull. But he didn't say anything to him. Instead he turned to some of the men behind Hector. 'Llévelo al granero.' Three of them rushed forwards and grabbed the helpless man away from Jack, for a second he was tempted to hold on to him. But he remembered to let go at the right time after all, and he just waited as Ramon turned his eyes to him.

'Come on Jack. I want to know what he's told, and to whom. We need to know whether we have to move, whether our meeting on Thursday is compromised and whether our shipment is safe. I'll change the days for that anyway, but I want to know if he's spoken to anyone recently.'

'He has.'

'How do you know?'

'I heard him this morning, on the phone. I didn't hear who he was talking to and only a few words of what was being said. But it's that that made me suspicious enough to go and search his room.'

Ramon looked at him closely, noting how dead the eyes were. But he smiled and clapped him on the top of an arm. 'I told you your time would come Jack. It's come very quickly for you too – I think you're pleased about that. Maybe now you believe in God, eh?' He laughed slightly and Jack forced himself to smile back. _No Ramon, I don't think I do. _

…_oh fuck._

He moved his arm to indicate he was going to leave and get on with it. Ramon closed his fingers around his bicep though, and stopped him moving. He spoke with steel in his voice and Jack couldn't look at him. He knew what he'd see.

'I want him to last until at least tonight Jack. Make sure you don't finish it too soon.' He nodded. It was no more than he expected. 'Come on then.'

He wanted the walk to go slowly but it flashed by…it was only about fifty yards after all. When he walked into the sun he was mentally rebelling at what he had to do, by the time he reached the barn door he was cold again, his resolve hardened, ready to do what was necessary. Somewhere along the way he had let himself shut down, and just like that evening in the village, he operated on auto-pilot. It was the only way to do this.

Charlie was standing under a beam, a rope around his wrists. He was visibly shaking now and he looked ridiculous standing there in only a towel and with that brace around his head. He flinched when Ramon walked up to him. The man didn't waste any time on pre-amble.

'I don't like traitors Charlie. And you are a traitor.' He held up the papers that Jack had found and watched the colour drain from his face with a satisfied smile. 'You're going to die today. And I'm not going to lie and tell you that it'll be easier and quicker if you tell me everything you've passed on about my business, because it won't be. Jack will get that information out of you of course – but you might as well just tell me now so I can go and make some phone calls and clean up this mess. And then I can let him get on with it – make no mistake, you're going to suffer.'

Jack watched the scene and could only think one thing…_fuck that's cruel…and that's not normally how it goes…you tell them there's hope so they talk. He might hold out now just to spite you Ramon…fuck, you just destroyed him though…_ One look at Charlie told him that he wouldn't hold out. And even if he did, Ramon had just handed him good cop/bad cop on a plate.

'Please Ramon…I have a family.' Jack winced. _Shut up Charlie. You're just going to make him enjoy it more – you think he gives a shit about your kids? He doesn't give a shit about his own kids…_

Ramon nodded at two guys on the other end of the rope. They jerked it up and it slithered over the beam above him sharply. Charlie's hands shot above his head and he was pulled until his toes just barely touched the floor. He gasped at the strain on his arms. Jack watched, then pulled off his sweater and threw it onto a barrel. He walked over to stand behind Ramon, cracking his knuckles lightly and flexing his fingers to warm them up.

'Have you told anyone where this place is?'

No answer. Ramon smirked. Then he slowly and deliberately reached up and grabbed the brace that held the man's jaw together. He gripped it hard and repeated the question. Charlie was white and Jack could tell he was scared of the pain already - but he didn't talk. Ramon suddenly jerked his hand and the first scream rang out as the metal moved and broken bones grated together. His body dangled there, swaying gently, and it was somehow grotesque. He was like a piece of meat on a hook…_well, that's exactly what he is. He's not alive anymore._ Jack rolled his shoulders and stretched his triceps by pushing first one arm, then the other, as far down his back as he could. He made sure he did it in Charlie's sight, not that the guy was really caring right now. It was all minor details in the psychological game.

Ramon shook the brace again, there were more screams and they carried on until he let it go. Jack took in his body to see how it was reacting – the man's heart was racing obviously, his chest was heaving and he was gasping for air. Sweat ran down his body and there were tears on his cheeks – and his eyes were terrified. Jack caught his gaze and held it, willing him to speak and give up what he knew.

He didn't though, he just let a ball of saliva collect on his lips and when it was big enough, he spat it to the ground. Ramon's eyes went flat and he motioned Jack over with a jerk of his head. 'Soften him up a bit.'

He didn't have to be asked twice. Charlie's body was completely open – he elected to start on the side with the undamaged ribs first, it would save the stronger pain for later on. His fists thudded into tight flesh, every punch making a dull thudding sound and getting a cry of pain. After working the whole side thoroughly for a about five minutes, he changed tactics – he picked one spot, right in the middle of a curved rib bone and began hammering it methodically, the same spot over and over, making sure that his middle knuckle hit the same point every time. Charlie was yelling after the first three, screaming at about seven – but Jack didn't stop, he just kept driving in as hard as he could, his mind blank as he focused on channeling his force through his fist.

The flesh was starting to go mushy under his pummeling. He paused for a moment, took a step back – then issued one more blow, noting the crack, as the rib broke, with satisfaction. Charlie instinctively tried to shield himself but there was nowhere he could go, he just swung there, gasping for air through the pain. Ramon stepped forward as Jack wiped the sweat off his face and tried to slow his breathing – he put one thumb on the point of the break and held the body still with his other hand. The merest pressure got a gasp of pain.

'Who have you given this location to? '

_Just tell him man, you know you're not getting out of here…_ Jack looked up at him, and Charlie was staring at him, eyes huge with pain, begging with them to get Jack to stop this. But he turned away and couldn't look back, he just started massaging his knuckles which were beginning to bruise.

Ramon grew impatient and suddenly squeezed his thumb into the centre of the pulpy flesh, drawing a long cry of agony. He held it there for a long minute, watching Charlie heave and choke, a malicious grin on his face. When he released the pressure, the man sagged and whispered desperately 'Alright, alright. Yes, I told my boss where this place is.'

'And are they planning to come here?'

'I don't know…I don't….' he broke off with another scream as Ramon squeezed again. 'I don't know…!'

He released him and turned away uncaringly, he gestured for Jack to step away from the body for a minute. 'I'm going to make some phone calls, we're going to need to get out of here. I had planned for us to be away on the weekend anyway, we'll just go sooner. I'll get Hector to start clearing the place out – you stay with _him_. Make sure he hurts a lot but don't let him die. I'll be back to ask him some more questions in a few hours and I expect him to be ready to answer them, you understand Jack? Don't think about going easy on him. I'll tell Hector to drop by a few times as well, he'll want a shot at him too.'

Jack just nodded. The matter-of-fact way he talked about this was eerie. He honestly didn't give a fuck about what he did, Charlie was nothing but a talking slab of meat to him. He thought he had seen some psychopaths in his time but Ramon was…well, he was just Ramon. That was all there was to it really.

He had gone back over to Charlie and he'd whispered something in his ear, something that made him groan in fright. Ramon laughed, then whipped off the towel he was wearing, leaving him exposed to the world. He squared up and drove his foot into his balls, as hard as he could, smashing them flat into his body. Charlie gagged, choked and then threw up – puke dripped off his brace and Jack's stomach turned. He closed his eyes for a second and when he opened them, the man had passed out. Ramon laughed again and shouted over 'I told him he wouldn't be needing to use them again anyway!' The sound of his laughter reverberated through the barn, even after he had gone.

He was left virtually alone, there were just two other men standing around with guns in their hands. Jack eyes Charlie speculatively as he came to – he was really going to have to do this. Ramon wouldn't expect less – and it was harder, now that he wasn't here. When he was around, Jack could play the part. Now it was just him.

He walked back over and stood quietly. Then he called out, making sure Charlie could hear every word. 'Javier?'

'Yes Jack?'

'I'm going to need a few things here.'

'Tell me, I'll get them.'

Wow, they really were scared of him now. Javier's voice was subservient and eager to please. 'I need a crowbar. A chain, one that's not too long but with heavy links. Some wire cutters and a sharp knife. And find me a camping stove and kettle and bring a lot of water.'

Javier ran off quickly and Jack thought about what he was going to do. The truth of it was – he didn't need hours to do this. He could cause Charlie so much pain in the next few minutes that he'd probably spill everything he knew. He could torture him with his bare hands and have him begging for death, hell, he could use the towel if he needed to.

But Ramon wanted it drawn out. Of course he did. So the trick was to cause pain, but nothing fatal. Easy enough – but unnecessarily cruel.

'Charlie, just tell us what you sent out. It'll be easier.' He was surprised to hear the quiet words, he hadn't meant to speak. He was really just thinking out loud, he didn't expect an answer. So he was shocked when Charlie replied.

'If I do, will you end it quickly?'

He paused. He wanted so desperately to say yes. But he kept his face neutral as he replied 'You know I can't. But I'll make it easier than I would do normally.' Charlie held his gaze for a long moment, then deliberately drew in a long breath and spat in Jack's face.

'Go to hell, you fucking animal.'

He wiped it off. Pietro had seen and heard that from across the room, Charlie had almost yelled it. Now he had to act, he couldn't let that lie. So he copied a move that Ramon had done earlier – he reached up and grabbed the brace that was still dripping with vomit and started to jerk it around strongly. He didn't hear the cries that he caused, he just let his anger and frustration out for a few minutes, letting it blind him and work for him. By the time he let go, Charlie had passed out again.

Javier was back though, with all the things he'd asked for. Jack told him to boil some water slowly, in the meantime, he picked up the chain and swung it a few times, testing its weight. It would do – and as soon as Charlie opened his eyes, he slammed it into his body, straight into the side he'd broken two weeks ago. Again, he tried to hit the same spot as much as he could, the skin quickly started to flame red and then swell up and after a few more hits there was a small 'pop' and blood flew everywhere as skin burst and allowed a thick red tide to fall down his side.

He was whimpering and shaking, his arms were straining against the rope. Jack knew they couldn't stay strained like that forever, they were taking all his weight and eventually, the shoulders would just get pulled out of their sockets. He sighed internally. What would it matter? It wasn't like he'd ever see daylight again. He carefully kept his mind blank as he wrapped the chain around both his hands and held the middle of it over the flame on the camping stove, he deliberately tried to think of other things as he held the red-hot metal to the open wound he'd just created, causing the putrid smell of burning flesh to assault his nostrils. He'd done him a favour there really – at least the wound was cauterized now…maniacal laughter sounded in the recesses of his mind. _The only favour you could do this guy would be to shoot him in the head Jack._

He was unconscious again. Jack left him alone, he needed time to recover a little. If he pushed too hard, he'd die – no one understood that better than him. He picked up a bottle of water and took a long drink, still detached and floating, not really here at all. He was looking at the scene in front of him as though he were watching it on TV or something, it didn't seem real. His brain simply wouldn't allow him to comprehend what he was doing yet – and he wanted it to. He wanted to feel everything that Charlie was feeling right now, because he deserved it – and Christ, it could just have easily have been him strung up there if things had gone differently.

'Jack…' A hoarse croak pulled him back and he walked over to the swinging body. He poured some water over the lips and let some trickle into his mouth, just a bit.

'What?'

'I've got kids Jack. I've got a wife. Please don't do this…'

'Stop it Charlie. You know there's nothing I can do.'

'Please…' His voice descended into a pitiful beg and Jack closed his eyes, wishing it would go away. But he didn't have the heart to just punch him into silence. His pleas were causing pain, the pain he deserved, so he let them go on for a minute or two, just standing there while they washed through him, letting him know that he was the cause of this, there was nowhere to hide, he couldn't escape the fact that he was slowly murdering an innocent man simply to further his own ends. Ends that might not even pay off eventually – this whole thing was a big gamble. Charlie's sacrifice might just end up being for nothing.

He couldn't allow himself to think like that. He had to get on with this. 'Shut up now. I can't do anything. You're a traitor and you should have known better that to _(get caught, you idiot)_ go up against Ramon and Hector.'

But he wouldn't shut up. He'd seen the hesitation in Jack and was playing on it, begging harder…'Please don't Jack! My son, he's called Tim, he's only ten. And my daughter's six but it's her birthday next week. They're giving her a party and I haven't seen her for a year…please don't, please…Jack…' His words were lost as Jack wrenched his head back and started pouring two litres of water straight down his throat. He just did it shut him the hell up, he couldn't stand hearing about the man's kids. It reminded him that he'd totally forgotten to ask about Kim yesterday and he'd do anything to get rid of that thought. He poured until Charlie was gasping and gagging, then he released his head and punched him twice in quick succession, right in the solar plexus. The first punch drove all the air out of him, the second caused the empty lungs to contract, causing a wave of pain to roll up through his chest and threaten to choke him as he fought to catch a breath through a mouthful of water. Jack stood back as he struggled, knowing what was coming as he gasped and fought for air, jerking madly on his rope…he finally managed to catch a lungful and immediately threw up everywhere, groaning through the ache that his pulsing stomach caused.

Jack picked up the wire cutters and moved in again, hoping that he wouldn't talk anymore. It seemed he was too busy trying to breathe normally and he didn't try and move when the cutters snipped away at his brace – Jack could have just ripped it off but the shock might stop his heart. He didn't plan on damaging the jaw any further because he needed to be able to talk – but it would take away the option of Ramon using it to hurt him. Besides, it kept getting covered in sick.

'Charlie – has anything been set up for this weekend? Your papers indicated that you were planning to come out. You must have been planning to make a bust, right?' He got no response. The guy didn't even try to look at him, he was spent for the time being. He had to end the first stage. 'Listen to me. You know it's only going to get worse. Just tell me.' Still nothing. He was struggling to stay conscious.

Jack sighed and called Javier over. He told him to let him down to the floor.

'But Ramon said.'

'Just _do_ it Javier…'

'Yes sir.' They weren't about to argue with him. Charlie cried out as he suddenly hit the floor and he immediately rolled into the foetal position, a small naked ball in the dirt. He looked like a boy down there and Jack stared, unable to believe that this was happening. The day seemed to be lasting forever, time had slowed to a crawl. He could hear the shouts of men working outside as they packed things up, there was the normal sounds of insects and the neighing of horses in the stables next door. And the ever-present heat enveloped them all, swallowed them whole and made the world calm and surreal.

He found he had the crowbar in his hand and looked at it, not sure how it had got there. Well whatever. Time to finish up round one.

'What's going on this weekend man?'

Charlie didn't seem to even hear him. Jack leaned down and prised his hands away from his head, kicking him in the ribs when he resisted. He got the hands flat on the floor and asked the question again – still nothing. So he raised the crowbar and smashed it down, the screams of pure agony grating on his ears as they hit his drums.

'Tell me!'

'Jack…I don't…' He hit them twice more, Charlie was sobbing and choking and coughing up some blood now.

'TELL ME!' Three more hits and the screams were too loud, the fingers were all smashed, hanging limply and shapelessly off the bloody mess that used to be hands…and he had to stop, the guy needed a break.

_He_ needed a break.

'Javier, come here and watch him. Don't touch him. I'll be back in a little while.'

He wandered outside when he was sure that Charlie was secured, leant on the wall and lit a cigarette. Jeez, it was like he was on an afternoon break or something, a lassitude hung over him and none of this was real, it was all a nightmare that he'd wake up from soon, it was probably the withdrawal, he'd wake up back in that cell and none of this was real, it wasn't…

He pulled himself back, recognizing that the bubble starting to swell in his stomach was panic and horror and if he didn't cut it off, he'd be puking on the ground in a minute or two. So he focused on the activity around him, the guys emptying the outhouses and the bunkhouse, Claudia outside the main house talking to Sergio, probably explaining about where they were going…where were they going anyway? He hadn't asked and it didn't matter. It was a good thing he didn't have much to pack up, it looked like most people were leaving tonight. But he'd be going with Ramon so it didn't matter, all of that would be taken care of.

He stubbed the remains of the cigarette into the dirt just as he heard Hector calling his name.

'Hey Jack! What's going on?'

'Just giving him a break.'

Hector looked confused. 'Why?'

'It helps to break them down. They get used to not feeling pain, so when it starts again, it's twice as hard on the senses.' That shut him up. Jack obviously knew what he was doing.

'I take it you've done this before then?'

'I've been on both sides of the table Hector. Trust me, I know how to handle this.'

There was a blankness in his voice that was new to Hector and he studied the American closely for a moment. For a fleeting second, he suddenly saw what Ramon saw…a box, a metal box that was completely flat on the surface – but when you opened the lid a crack, there was a hive of compartments and layers and activity and…he didn't know. As quickly as it had come, the image went, and he shook his head slightly to dispel it. It was a strange day all of a sudden.

'Will he hold out?'

'No.'

He was at a loss. Jack wasn't inviting more conversation and Hector made his excuses and left. He liked Jack and they were obviously going to be seeing a lot more of each other from now on – but he sometimes made him a little uncomfortable too. Like he was thinking of things that other people had no comprehension of and wouldn't have understood if he'd tried to explain.

Jack walked back inside. It was dim in there and nothing had changed. He took another drink and poured some of the water over his head – it was so fucking hot! The kettle was whistling too, he didn't know how long it had been doing that, he hadn't registered it before. Oh well. Might as well use it as it was there.

'Charlie?' He stood over him, kicked him lightly to get his attention. 'You must know how this works. It's just going to get worse from here on in. Tell me something now and I won't make it as bad as I can…what's planned for the weekend?'

There was no answer, he didn't even move. Jack let the boiling water fall from the kettle, it hit him on the shoulder and the scream echoed through the barn. He didn't use too much, but enough to let him know that he was willing to go even further. The skin was already angry looking, it would start to bubble soon.

'Charlie…what's planned…'

'They were coming to get me! I'd told them about the big shipment going into Arizona that night, they were going to pick it up. At the same time, they were going to extract me and pick up Ramon and Hector. OK? Now stop this, please!'

Jack handed the kettle back to Javier, then nodded at Pietro who yanked the rope and slowly dragged him to his knees. He was crying again, heaving sobs that racked him and hurt him even more – the pain in his hands must have been intense as he was pulled up by them. He glanced at his watch. It was 5pm, they'd been here a couple of hours already. Ramon had said he wanted him to last until the night, he didn't name a specific time.

He looked down at Charlie on his knees, trying to determine whether Ramon would think he'd been punished enough already. There were great angry welts on his body from the chain, a gaping hole in one side that was also a huge burn. Practically all of his ribs were broken and occasionally he'd spew up some blood which meant an internal injury of some kind. The brace was gone and his jaw was swelling from the vigorous pulling it had taken, his genitals were bruising from Ramon's kick, there was a burn on his shoulder now and his hands were mush, just big swollen balloons sticking out of the tight rope around them.

Jack picked up the knife. He might as well make it look even worse, even if it was only superficial damage. Charlie shied away as he came near but he ignored the movement and proceeded to make several shallow cuts across his torso – not deep enough to be serious but enough to cause a lot of blood to spill. He did the same across the top of his head – head wounds always bled a lot and it looked good to have blood dripping and drying on the face. Then he nodded to Pietro to raise the rope again, Charlie groaned deeply as he was raised to his feet and once again dangled from the room. Jack could see that he was losing him, the pain in his hands was enough to make him unconscious – he'd leave him after this one, go and get Ramon and get permission to finish him off.

'Charlie, this is almost over OK? You just need to tell me – is the meeting with the Saudi Arabians compromised on Thursday?' Charlie raised his head sluggishly, his eyes weren't focusing from pain and blood loss. But he fixed one of them onto Jack's and just whispered…

'I've got kids Jack…'

Jack closed his eyes, his blank mind threatening to give up on him. The words pierced him like arrows, it might have been the only thing that would get through to him and somehow Charlie had picked up on it, whether he meant to or not.

'My daughter's birthday next week, her name's Jeanette. She's gonna be seven and I haven't seen her for a year…' More tears, only they were from a different kind of pain. His whole body shook gently as they pulled up from his core, it wasn't the great sobs that came from physical torture. Tears leaked out and cut through the blood and Jack just stood there, fighting to find a peace that he didn't think he'd ever know again.

'Is the meeting compromised?'

He got a weak nod and that was all he needed to know.

This had to end. He turned and picked up the crowbar. He wanted to just finish it now but Ramon had to see that he was broken. So he raised it up and brought it crashing down hard on one straining shoulder, hearing it crack and dislocate at the same time. His body slumped at an unusual angle now, Jack hurried before the weight started to tear the arm off. He repeated the action with the other shoulder, getting almost no sound this time – then yelled at Pietro to let him down. He hit the floor hard and didn't move, just lay there groaning softly. A puddle started to form and Jack saw that he'd lost control of his bladder – he was dying now, really close – and it was that that made him turn away and suddenly have to fight to keep down a sob…the utter defenselessness of the man had got through the barrier. He really wasn't much more than a heap of flesh now, his mind was going and they didn't have long.

'Javier, go and get Ramon. Quickly.' His voice wasn't much more than a whisper. He forced himself to look at the body on the floor, just lying unable to move any more – apart from his hands, which waved around weakly on the end of his dead arms. Jack didn't know if he was trying to say something with them or whether it was just his nerves twitching through the pulp of his flesh but…there was something so tragic about them. Like fish flapping on the deck of a ship or a fly that was drowning in water. They were just trying to live, not quite aware that their time was up…

Nothing was insulated now, Jack knew exactly where he was and what he'd done. Seeing this…_oh fuck…and Ramon will be mad, I was supposed to keep him going longer…I didn't know he'd break so easily…shit, what the fuck have I done…_ His mind was fighting to keep the panic down once again, but he knew he had to hold it together. So he thought about going and packing his stuff, the traveling they'd be doing, the weather – anything boring and mundane that would keep him away from the living ruins of a human being on the floor next to him.

'Well Jack…look like you couldn't hold yourself back. Has he talked? Is he capable of it now?'

_How the fuck can he sound so calm – even fucking cheerful – about this!_

_Because he didn't create the situation. He just dealt with the information he was given_.

'He talked Ramon. They're coming here to get you on the weekend. The meeting on Thursday has been compromised, so has the shipment to Arizona. You've got to change everything and we've got to move.'

Ramon was studying the body. It was impossible to think of it as a 'him' anymore, even though it was still breathing. All movement had ceased now, except the eyelids which flickered and the shallow movement of the chest. Blood was dripping steadily out of one side of his mouth, whatever the ribs had punctured was hemorrhaging more rapidly now. Ramon grabbed the head and moved it, looking for signs of fight but there was nothing, it flopped back to the side as soon as he let it go.

'Well, we'd better finish up I suppose. I hope you don't mind if I do the honours Jack? I know he was your discovery but it was me he was going to betray so…'

'No, I don't mind.' _Thank God…I'm so sorry Charlie_/ Ramon pointed to the knife and Jack handed it over, just as Hector walked through the door.

'Hector! You want to come and help me finish off our traitor?'

He shook his head. 'No, Jack took all the fun away. I like it when they're still moving a bit. You go ahead.' He pulled himself up onto a barrel to watch.

Ramon grinned at him, then at Jack. 'I think you're going to like this Jack. You should be familiar with it, it's commonly used in Iraq I believe. I was certainly taught it by a good friend of ours from there.'

The knife was hovering just over Charlie's lower abdomen and Jack realised at the last minute that wasn't a coincidence…with a sickening burst of clarity, he saw what Ramon was planning – it was indeed a specialty in those countries. It happened to prisoners all the time, albeit ones that were normally more alive than Charlie was right now. He watched in horror as the knife slid into the white skin and then with a flick of his wrist, Ramon had gutted him…coils of blue/grey intestines bubbled out onto the floor and Jack could hear Hector laughing as if from a great distance away, Ramon's leering face looked up at him as Charlie let out the death rattle and the smell of shit filled the air as his muscles let go…Javier and Pietro were heaving against one wall, and Jack just stood, staring down, unable to move, unable to breathe…watching as Ramon picked up the coils that should never have seen the light of day and proceeded to tie the remains of Charlie's hands together, using his own guts as rope.

It didn't take long but it took forever. Jack seriously didn't think he breathed the whole time. All he could think was… _normally they're alive when that happens…they get to choose whether to kill themselves by ripping the 'ropes' apart or not…at least he didn't have to choose that. At least he died first…and Ramon's going to leave him there isn't he…going to leave him for his colleagues to find in a few days…_

Ramon stood up and surveyed his handiwork. 'There. That should entertain them when they come.'

Hector laughed out loud, hopped down from his barrel and walked over to his brother. They shared a strong embrace – then turned to Jack, who hadn't moved. His eyes were fixed on the corpse – he'd never actually seen that performed before, although he knew all about it. It was worse than he'd imagined it would be – but then, he never thought he'd see it after he left the Army…

His thoughts were rambling, unable to rest on the horror of the day. But he had to move when they stood in front of him, these fucking vultures, these disgusting excuses for human beings…

'Jack?' He stared into the black eyes and just wanted to die. He couldn't even summon anger. 'You've proved yourself Jack. You turned him in to us and carried out the revenge - your probation is over.' Ramon pulled him close and hugged him, his arms went round the other man in a reflex action and he held tightly, just because it was something solid and real and tangible. 'Welcome. You're our brother now.'

…_your actions determine whether you are worthy of us…_

_...and I am worthy of you Ramon. That's all I am now – you were right, those weeks ago. We are alike. And I have proved myself today – that I'm no better than you are. Maybe even worse._

Hector hugged him too and he found himself staring at Ramon yet again. They were connected now, they all knew it, they could all feel it in the still hot air, with a corpse at their feet.

He hated all three of them. He wished they were all dead. Because that was what they deserved, to share a suite in hell and burn forever for their sins.

_God forgive me…_


	16. Cum Tacent, Clamant XVI

Chapter XVI

Ramon had his arm around his shoulders as they left the barn and it was all he could to keep from wrenching it off. He and Hector were laughing and smiling, happy with what had happened – happy that they know knew for sure that they could trust Jack. He barely heard what they were saying although he tried to keep a smile on his face and show that he was glad to be 'in'.

They stopped when they got outside so that the barn doors could be closed and locked. Jack made himself turn round and look – just before the overhead lights were switched off, he could see the corpse on the ground, a grotesque lump on the stomach where the insides were all heaped on the outside. It looked so small and pathetic lying there on its own in the middle of the bare floor. Jack found that he could still see it, even when the lights had been turned off. Even after the doors were closed and the padlocks clicked into place.

Ramon was talking again as they walked into the courtyard, and he tried to listen. Anything to distract himself. 'We'll be going sometime in the night, dawn at the latest. Hector, go and see how the men are doing. We'll just have to postpone the party for a few days, but we'll celebrate when we get to Mexico City.'

'Alright Ramon.' Hector embraced Jack one more time. 'It'll be a hell of a party Jack, and its all for you brother…'

He looked up into his eyes and smiled, not sure that talking would be such a good idea right now. And Hector was genuine too, it made him grateful in a way. It was something real, his mind was having a hard time staying still at the moment and however wrong it was, feeling the genuine affection from this man was something he could hang on to. He didn't want to, but there it was anyway.

He left and Ramon stood there in the gathering darkness, a grin on his face and a sparkle in his eyes. He lit a cigar and offered one to Jack He refused politely and Ramon didn't take offence, he just smoked quietly and watched for a minute. Jack stood without moving, waiting for his instructions, waiting for something to do to take this away.

'I knew you wouldn't let me down Jack. You did very well.' He moved forward and placed a hand on his side, pressing slightly. Jack winced, he'd forgotten about his own injuries but now that he'd been reminded, the ache started again. 'It's still hurting you. Go and pack, then get some rest. Everything's being taken care of here, I'll send someone to get you when we leave.'

He nodded, glad that he could let fatigue show on his face now. He would have worked if they'd asked him to, it might have been good for him to have something to do – but hadn't he said he would call CTU? Yeah, he had. Better do that. And pack too…but not sleep. That wouldn't be happening.

'OK Ramon, thanks.' He turned towards his place quickly, wanting to get out of there. He could feel the eyes on his back as he walked away but he didn't care. Hopefully the man would stop staring at him now, he had their trust – with any luck, this would now just be a job. He'd do it, call his information back in to CTU whenever he had the chance and then bring them down as soon as he could. _That_ was something he could hang on to.

He shut the front door behind him and leant his back against it. It was almost fully dark now but he didn't reach for the light. Now that he was alone, the enormity of what he had done hit him like a train and he struggled to keep control. His breathing quickened, he broke out in a freezing sweat and started to tremble, his muscles felt weak and nausea swelled through him, while in his mind the screams began to replay, Charlie's screams, his begging, his crying, his desperate pleas to be allowed to see his daughter again…and he could see those eyes, those wide blue eyes…full of panic and agony and fear…

Hot tears ran down his face and he didn't try to stop them. He just let them fall and felt them drip off his jaw on to his T-shirt, a steady stream of water that didn't help in any way. His heart ached so much he thought it might burst, it was pounding and swelling in his chest until he could hardly breathe but he couldn't stop crying long enough to get a lungful of air, eventually he was choking and gasping and on the verge of hyperventilation. He made for the kitchen and braced himself over the sink in case he threw up - but he couldn't, even though he gagged a few times. Eventually he fumbled for a chair and collapsed into it, rested his head on the table, covered it with his arms, tried to control himself. But all he could hear was the screaming and it wouldn't stop.

* * *

Hector headed up to the bedroom he shared with Claudia after he'd checked that the removal was going to plan. She hadn't been downstairs when he'd looked and her father hadn't seen her. He opened the door and saw her stuffing clothes into a few large suitcases that were strewn on the bed. He took a minute to admire the view – Dios, she was beautiful! Her body was lush and curvaceous and he loved her thick, dark hair and the way it fell around her face and down her back. He watched as her white dress shifted intriguingly over her flesh and wondered whether they had time…no, they didn't. But that was alright, they had the rest of their lives.

He walked up behind her, smiling in pleasure when she jumped with surprise as he slid his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder.

'Hey beautiful…how's it going?'

He felt her smile slightly as he kissed her neck and she shifted her head to leave more of it open for him. 'Mmmm….it's going OK. Only clothes left to pack.' She turned in his arms and kissed him softly. 'You didn't tell me why we're leaving early, or why we're taking everything. Are we not coming back here?'

'No, we're not coming back. That's OK isn't it? You didn't like it here much anyway…' He kissed her again, thinking that perhaps he could _make_ time…

'No, I'll be glad to go. And I'm looking forward to Mexico City, I can go shopping.' She smiled at his mock groan and shivered at the feel of his lips on her skin. She liked it when it was like this, just the two of them and no talk of the business she hated. It made her wonder what life would be like if Hector wasn't what he was. 'So what happened?'

'We had a traitor. An Americano spy.'

She froze for a second. _Oh God…not Jack, surely…?_ And then she was left to wonder why she had even thought that.

'Who?'

'Charlie. He's been taken care of but now, we really have to get moving.' He pulled away from her reluctantly and walked into the bathroom, not bothering to close the door. Claudia turned back to the suitcases but suddenly found that she didn't have the motivation to pack anymore.

'I saw you earlier, Ramon too. So who did it?' She knew what would have happened, the bare details anyway. She knew it wouldn't have been quick.

'Jack. He found out about him and brought us the evidence, so he got to do the honours.' He zipped up his pants and flushed, then washed his hands and wandered back into the bedroom. Claudia was glad he hadn't seen her shoulders stiffen at the information.

_Jack did it? But…_ Her thoughts trailed off. She didn't know why she was surprised. Or disappointed. Jack was obviously used to this kind of lifestyle but she realised that she had thought there was something a bit different about him – she hadn't thought about it before and the revelation was surprising. She found herself wondering if he was OK

and then, she found that her disappointment was making her feel a bit sick, like she'd been let down somehow. Which was stupid, she knew Jack was a brutal man. He had to be, to be here in the first place. But…God, she didn't know what she thought. Her hands dropped to her sides, then she began to fiddle with the corner of one of the shirts on the bed. What was this?

'Hey...' His hands were on her again and she didn't enjoy it this time. 'What's the matter?'

Claudia forced a small smile. 'Nothing. I'm just surprised at Charlie – I quite liked him. Sergio did too.'

'Well, Sergio will forget about him soon enough. We all will – he's not worth thinking about any more. And Jack has proved himself now, so we have a new partner – Ramon was right about him. So don't worry about it – and think of all that shopping you can do in the city soon. You can get whatever you want, you know that.' He kissed her on the shoulder and she let him, while her mind tried to work out why she was filled with a sudden, deep sadness.

'Yes Hector…you're very good to me.' _I just wish you weren't touching me. Right now, I wish you'd never touch me again._

'Let me know when all this stuff is packed, I'll have someone come and get it. I have things to do – I'll see you later.'

He walked out and left her alone. Claudia stood there, feeling the material between her fingers. The she dropped it and sighed, and carried on packing. _So he's just like them…well, I shouldn't be surprised. I don't know why I ever thought differently_.

* * *

Jack sat on his bed, his mind numb. He still hadn't turned the lights on and he sat in the dark, his body perfectly still and rigid. He stared into darkness, seeing nothing, feeling nothing. His skin was icy, too cold to think about moving. If he moved, the ice would make him tremble and he couldn't go through another twenty minutes like he just had. It had taken everything in him just to get up the stairs, his legs felt like rubber and he was weak all over. As he sat there, he could feel his heartbeat fluttering rapidly in his chest, it was too fast, he knew it but he didn't know what to do.

He knew he was in shock. He'd felt it before, but not since Teri had died. He knew what to do to counter it as well – but he couldn't move. There was nothing to make him do anything, and his mind was blank…

A wave of nausea hit him finally and this one was too strong to be ignored. He threw himself forward onto the floor, just to get moving, then crawled quickly into the bathroom on his hands and knees, his head down. He had to fling himself the last few feet to make it to the toilet, he got there a split-second before he was dry heaving again – as seemed to be normal these days, he had nothing in his stomach to throw up. Bile seared his throat though, the hot acid tasted foul and made his stomach clench some more. He was there for about five minutes before he managed to stop, then he just knelt there on the tiles, resting his head on the seat with his eyes closed, feeling cold sweat slide across his clammy skin.

_Oh shit…oh shit…what the fuck did I do? Oh Christ…_

He couldn't think about it. He just couldn't bring himself to focus. It was easier just to sit there and think of nothing, withdraw and never come back. But he couldn't, a small part of his mind nagged and told him to call CTU. They were waiting to hear from him.

_They can wait. I never want to move from here. I just want to die here, right here. I don't care, oh fuck Charlie I'm so sor…no…Christ, I cant apologise, that's worse, I cant make it worse by apologising…but fuck…get a grip man…call CTU…then pack…that's all you've gotta do right now, everything else can wait…get up Jack, you know you cant sit here forever…_

It took a while but eventually some rational thought came back. It helped to have some small tasks to focus on, even if he was dreading the call. The idea of talking to anyone right now repelled him, but it had to be done. He might not get the chance to call in again for a while and they had to know that they were moving.

Jack pulled himself up and turned on the shower. He needed one to warm up again, he was freezing. He flicked on the light but refused to look at himself in the mirror, he just walked out to his bag, got the phone and went back into the bathroom.

He tried to breathe normally as the call went through the switchboard, he didn't want Tony to pick up that anything was wrong. He also tried to think about what he was going to say but nothing came. He was just going to have to wing it.

'CTU Dessler.'

'It's Jack Michelle. Let me talk to Tony.'

There was a pause. 'He's not here Jack.'

He went cold all over again. _Why! Why the fuck isn't he there Michelle?_ He hadn't realised just how much he wanted to hear the voice of an ally right then, someone he knew he could really trust…it hadn't occurred to him – fuck, it didn't matter. 'Where is he?'

'He said he had some things to follow up on. He's probably at Division.'

'You need to keep better tabs on your boyfriend Michelle. I hope he's not just feeding you a line while he's out playing around.'

There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line. He held the phone to his ear with his left arm, the same elbow rested on his knee and he stared at the floor, not quite sure why he'd said that. He knew that they hadn't told anyone about their relationship, not even him – he'd just seen it a mile away.

'Jack…how did you…?' Michelle's eyes were wide in shock. Jack's voice was flat and hard and…cruel. He knew that this call was being recorded, knew that its contents would be decoded for analysis – why had he made a point to mention _that_ of all things? And he wasn't saying anything now, the line was silent. She didn't know to say, he had thrown her. She let her voice go cold. _Fucking bastard…_ 'Well, thanks a lot for that. Now, I have that information on your DEA man.'

_Oh NO, fuck!_ 'Michelle…'

'He's for real. I've been in contact with the Agency, apparently he's pulling out this weekend. They're going to try and seize a shipment into Arizona...'

'Michelle!' He was almost shouting, forgetting to keep his voice down. Terror gripped him – what if she was going to say that they'd decided to hold off on the arrest? He didn't want to know. Couldn't bear to know. 'It's too late.'

'What? Why?'

'He's dead.' He heard her sigh, could almost see her rubbing her forehead the way she did when she got stressed.

'What happened?'

'They found something on him – he'd been writing things down. And I don't have time to go into the details now,' _You fucking lying pussy Bauer_ 'but that's why I'm calling. We're moving out. I think we're going to Mexico City. They've changed the date of the shipment though, so you might as well tell DEA that there's no point going out there that night.'

'Do you know when it'll be?'

_What the fuck?_'No I don't Michelle, it's not my department. And I could find out but I won't, because if it gets intercepted after they change the dates then they'll get suspicious. Use your head!' He didn't bother hiding his impatience, he just wanted to get off the phone.

'What's your problem Jack? You're being a real asshole.'

'My problem Michelle,'…_is that I'm a lying, two-faced murdering sonofabitch_ 'is that you don't seem to have a clue what you're doing up there. I specifically asked you to get Tony for me today, he's my contact for this mission and he's never fucking there! And now you're wasting my time with questions about the drugs? Do you have _any_ idea…' He stopped and took a breath. He had to calm down. He just wanted to yell and smash this damn phone on the floor but he couldn't do that. 'It doesn't matter. Listen, they trust me now so I should be finding more stuff out. But don't rely on weekly calls anymore alright? I don't know how much time I'll have to myself – if you don't hear from me next week, don't panic. I won't have been hurt and I'll get in touch when I can.'

'Jack, you can't throw protocol out of the window like this. How are we going to know if something's happened to you?'

'Fuck protocol! It's just the way it is now – and I'll be fine. We're meeting some people in a few days, I think they're players. I'll get the info back to you when I can.' There was silence from Michelle. 'Are you there?'

'Yes. Jack, did something happen?'

'No. Everything's fine. I have to go. You got anything I need to know?'

'No. But…'

'Alright, I'll call when I can.'

He hung up and Michele stared at the receiver in her hand in disbelief. Jack had never sounded like that before. He was cold and rude – and he'd just callously outed her relationship with Tony for absolutely no reason. Something was obviously wrong but she was at a loss to know what. She was too mad at being talked to like that to think much of it anyway, so she just picked up the phone and dialled the DEA. They needed to know they'd lost one of their guys.

* * *

Ramon watched Jack sleep on the plane, feeling slightly uneasy. It was strange, he thought that feeling would go now that the probation was over. It didn't though and he didn't know why. Jack had seemed fine when he'd sent Javier over to the house to get him. He was quiet but then, he was always quiet.

And then he wasn't anymore. They'd sent most of the men off to one of their other properties in Columbia, letting them know that they'd join them in a week or so. Jack had helped load up the last of the stuff onto the jet, he'd laughed and joked with the guys like they'd been friends all their lives. Ramon figured he was probably making sure they were still onside after everything they'd seen him do, and to lessen their fear of him somewhat – it had worked too, they all seemed more relaxed around him. Then he'd boarded the second jet, the one that just a few of them were taking, and proceeded to raid the bar. There had been quite a party for a couple of hours there, and Jack was right in the thick of it.

Maybe it was just that he'd relaxed now that he'd been accepted. But he was sleeping now, almost passed out actually. Ramon recognised the signs of exhaustion, Javier had told him that Jack hadn't been asleep when he went to get him and the bed hadn't been used. He'd just been sitting downstairs with his bag at his feet. So maybe the guys' adrenaline was running high from everything he'd done yesterday and it was just now catching up with him. It was the most likely explanation – after all, he was still recovering from withdrawal as well.

But still – his eyes had been strangely dead, they didn't smile as much as his mouth did. If Ramon didn't know better, he'd say that Jack was high. But he didn't have access to drugs, unless he'd stolen some from somewhere. But no, that didn't feel quite right either. His pupils were normal, not tiny like they would be if he had shot up. And now he was sleeping quietly, his head resting on the rolled up sweater that Claudia had propped between his head and the side of the plane. His face was white and he jerked occasionally, like he'd been shocked with something. Sometimes his eyes even shot open for a second and he would twitch all over – but they closed again almost immediately and he drifted back off. His face looked different when he slept too, more relaxed and Ramon realised that when he was awake Jack seemed to always be frowning, like he was stressed out and carried a great weight on his shoulders. All that had dropped away though and he saw that the weight seemed to be in his eyes all the time – now that they were closed he looked softer, and years younger.

He sighed. The man remained a conundrum. But at least he knew he could trust him now and that was something. The rest could be worked out at a later date – and it _would_ get worked out. Ramon liked puzzles, but only if he knew that he'd get his answers eventually. This was no different.

Jack jerked again a few times as he watched. He really did look white and skinny. He could use a vacation – and that's what he would get. He'd shown he was up for a party earlier and, aside from one meeting, that was what this whole trip was about. Jack looked like he could use some fun.

The plane started to bank to the starboard and Ramon smiled as he sipped at his tequila. He was looking forward to this week.

* * *

He woke up with a nasty taste in his mouth and there was something sticky on his cheek. He tried to focus but it took a moment – when he did, he realised that something wasn't right. Another few seconds passed before he realised what it was – he was at floor level, staring along the tiled floor into the bathroom. _Fuck, not again…_

This was the third morning in a row he'd woken up on the floor. He seemed to be unable to find the bed whenever he got back to his room for some reason – either that or he just tripped over some of the crap on the floor and couldn't stand up again. Either way, he made a mental note to actually make use of the queen-sized bed in his suite at some point, it would be a waste if he didn't after all.

Not that he hadn't had offers to make use of it. He vaguely remembered last night's string of come-on's, he'd turned them all down again. Ramon had laughed at him, sitting there with his damn cigar and one hand up the skirt of some hooker. He'd said he should make the most of Mexico's finest, what was wrong with him? But there was nothing wrong with him – he just refused to pay for it. And he was more interested in drinking anyway, it was all he could do at the moment. It was the only thing that would quieten his mind. There were drugs – but he hadn't given in to the needle. He didn't want to succumb to that. He knew what it felt like and he was scared – because the way he felt right now, he'd never get off the stuff again. Heroin would calm him for sure…but it would probably kill him too.

Fuck, what was this on his face? He pulled his head up slowly and stared at the rust-brown puddle on the floor. Shit, it was blood. He dragged an arm up and pressed at his face, wincing when he touched his lip. Yeah, he'd fallen pretty hard and split it open. Oh well.

There was a banging on the door and he groaned, his head starting to hurt now that he'd moved. He got up slowly, swayed a bit as dizziness overtook him, then stumbled to open it. Ramon again. Ramon always turned up in the morning, freshly showered, a grin on his clean-shaven face, dressed in tailored clothes and looking like a million dollars. Jack was always acutely aware that he looked like shit – rumpled, stubbled and with bloodshot eyes. But who gave a fuck really? He always cleaned up before he left the room – and he secretly thought that Ramon liked seeing him like this, it gave him something to laugh about.

'Good morning Jack!' He walked in and surveyed the wreckage of the room with a smile. 'Well, I see that you came back alone again last night eh?' He tutted softly under his breath while grinning lewdly.

Jack took a cigarette from his shirt pocket and lit it. 'Yeah. I bet you didn't though. How many was it last night?' _And I bet you'd love to come in here one morning and see a chick in here, wouldn't you? You'd probably get off on that…_

'Ohhh, you know. Got to keep the ladies satisfied right? And there are so many ladies…' He winked, then shoved a few shirts off a chair and sat down. He watched as Jack pulled his fingers through his hair and marvelled at how much things had changed in three days. From being wary of each other and constantly engrossed in some kind of power play, Ramon now looked at Jack as something like a friend. Which was strange, because he didn't really have friends. But they'd drank together now, the three of them, almost solidly since they'd arrived in Mexico and Jack was the one who instigated it most of the time. He was a different man when he wasn't working, that was for sure – and Ramon liked it. It was fun. The man didn't seem to care what time he started drinking, or where they went or how long they did it for – he was always ahead of everyone too and pretty much no one could keep up with him. He was a machine and just like when he worked, he never stopped. He just methodically pounded the shots until he eventually passed out. It was always entertaining.

'I gotta take a shower. What are we doing today man?'

That was another thing that was different. They talked to each other casually now too, like friends did. No subservience and no hint of 'I'm the boss' from either one of them – they talked about women and sports and cars and guns and women and women…and Hector had been amazed at Jacks unseen-until-now personality but he enjoyed it too. The three of them had been getting together for lunch every day, sometimes joined by Claudia, and unlike before when there was always an undercurrent of something – now they just chilled, and chatted and drank while they ate. Jack drank the most, always. Ramon didn't know if this kind of causality could continue once they got back to work, but for now he was just happy to enjoy it.

'Yes, you look like you need a shower. What did you do to your face?'

Jack started searching for some clean clothes in a pile on the floor. 'Fuck, I gotta buy some clothes today. My face? Oh, I fell. Woke up on the fuckin' floor again didn't I…'

Ramon laughed hard, even more so when Jack shot him a filthy look. 'I keep telling you Jack, the bed is more comfortable Especially if you're sharing it with someone. Honestly my friend, I feel bad for you. I'm across the hallway with a woman or two on my lap all night, and you're in here on your own, passed out on the floor. It doesn't seem right.' He leered again and Jack grinned at him.

'Yeah well, maybe that'll change some time. I've been so trashed these last few nights, I probably couldn't get it up if I wanted to. Fuck!' He swore as his search for clean clothes yielded nothing. Ramon laughed again and got up.

'Go take your shower. I'll call down and get some things sent up for you to wear, they wont take long to arrive. And then we have to go. There's something very important we must do today.'

'Is there? What's that?'

Ramon wagged a finger. 'No no. It's a surprise. Go ahead but don't be too long.'

Jack nodded and hit the bathroom. There was a half-empty bottle of scotch in there next to the sink and he swallowed a few mouthfuls while he waited for the water to heat up in the shower. Then he dropped his clothes to the floor and climbed in, wincing slightly as the hot water hit his newly-broken lip.

As he scrubbed at himself, he vaguely wondered what they could be doing today that was so important. Whatever, he didn't care. As long as he could drink through it, or after it. Their meeting with the Saudi Arabians had been moved, they'd already been in Columbia and didn't want to go back to Mexico so they were meeting them next week. Jack was glad of that, he didn't want to have to think about work at the moment.

He knew he'd changed but didn't dwell on it. He was glad that he'd warned Michelle he probably wouldn't be calling in this week, he wanted no part of anything right now. All he wanted to do was get wasted, severely wasted, and then pass out and do it all again whenever he woke up. He found that he could stand to be around Ramon and Hector with no problems when he was drunk, probably because he couldn't think straight. Couldn't think of anything. And that was just fine with him.

He'd tried being his normal self the day they'd arrived. He'd woken up when the plane landed and the first thing he saw when he'd opened his eyes was Charlie's face, staring at him from the seat opposite. He'd nearly thrown up right there. The decision had been made to start drinking as soon as he could – he only meant it for that night. But he'd found that he didn't dream when he was comatose from alcohol – he'd dreamt on the plane. Screams and blood and knives and chains and dead kids and strangely – Teri, for the first time in a long time. And he saw it all when he was awake and sober too.

So it was simple really. Stay drunk and don't get any normal sleep. Part of him knew that he'd pay for it later – but so what? He didn't care. That was then and this was now. They were only here for a week or so, and no work was getting done – so fuck it. Get plastered every night. Don't think. Don't remember. Don't dream. It sounded good.

And Ramon was weird. Simply because he wasn't weird. At some point, the barriers had dropped and they'd become friends, or close to it. Jack found that as long as the conversation was superficial and he had enough alcohol in him, he could almost like these men. He forgot what they'd done – all of them – and just talked about crap while the waiters brought more drinks.

He touched his face again and noticed that some of the water running down his tight body was pink. His lip was bleeding. He saw the blood on his fingers…and saw the blood that had poured when he whipped that chain into Charlie's side. Heard the screaming and smelt the burning flesh when he cauterized it with that same chain. It was all he could do keep standing, the world tilted and he leaned his forehead on the wall for support, feeling the hot water pound his neck. Then he stepped out of the shower and reached for the bottle of scotch.

_So this is what breaking feels like…_ The thought was abstract, he analysed it with dispassion and no feeling whatsoever, even as he knew it to be true. He forced himself to look in the mirror, something he hadn't done since it happened. He didn't recognise the man that looked back at him but that was OK, because whoever he was, he didn't like him much either…

* * *

Hector was grinning as they pulled up to an old building in the rough part of town and Jack looked back at him. Then he looked over at Ramon, who was also grinning. There was a Jeep behind them, filled with the five highest-ranked guys from the ranch. They'd come with them on this jaunt – for security Ramon said, but they'd spent all their time partying too so there obviously wasn't much of a threat around here. _Charlie would have been one of those five._ He pulled at his vodka, straight from the bottle.

'What's going on guys?'

'Come on.' Hector slapped him on the knee and got out of the limo, Ramon pushed him lightly from behind.

'Out Jack!'

He sighed and pretended to be humorously pissed off, but climbed out anyway. His eyes ran over the old building – there was no sign of what it was, it was just a building. But Ramon went and pounded on the door anyway while the guys in the Jeep got out and stood around.

The door was opened by a very old man. He was short, very short, and had almost no hair. His moustache was large though, and he wore small round glasses. His wrinkled face split into a wide grin when he saw Ramon, they immediately embraced closely. Hector followed and did the same, exchanging happy greetings with him. Then he looked back at Jack and jerked him over with his head.

'Jack, come here.' He obliged, mildly curious now. 'This is Raul. He's a very old friend of our family.' Jack extended his hand and the man shook it with a surprisingly strong grip, given his age and size.

'So you are Jack Michaels. I have been hearing a lot about you.' His voice was soft, but it had strength. Jack looked into his eyes and they were completely black. A small shiver ran down his spine. _Just like Ramon's…_ They were hard and cold and he suddenly knew that this man had been dangerous in his time. The residue of a life of violence remained with him. Jack wondered if his own eyes would tell that story in years to come. Maybe they already did.

'Yes sir, I'm Michaels.'

'Well then, welcome. Come on in.'

Jack walked inside. The place was small and almost bare. There was a large chair, almost like a dentist's, in the middle of the room and there was a bench running along the far wall. It had various tools on it and he suddenly knew why he was here.

Ramon was pouring drinks from a small tray. Everyone filed in and the door was closed and locked. There were no windows and the small room was lit by a naked bulb, which shone hotly in the now-enclosed space. Jack was reminded of the cell but it wasn't bad. He was safe here, he'd come to no harm. He was handed a drink, he threw it back and held out the glass for another one. Ramon chuckled softly.

'No Jack, not until afterwards.' He took the glass and put it down. Then he glanced at Hector and they both removed their jackets at the same time. Raul was pottering about at the bench, the guys leant against the wall, their eyes on Jack. The atmosphere was solemn, but friendly, no words were spoken and he knew what he had to do. He took his shirt off so he wore just a beater and went to stand by the chair. Ramon put a hand on his shoulder and pushed him to sit down. Then they just waited in silence.

Raul came over. He stood in front of Jack and looked down on him with a smile.

'It's been a very long time since I've had to do this. I never thought I'd do it again – and you'll be my last.' He looked down at the Americano and smiled in his head – this one was strong. The boys had made a good choice. Ramon and Hector moved up to flank the old man. They both extended their left arms and turned them so that the tattoos of Our Lady of Guadalupe were shown to the light. Ramon's voice was soft but filled with a kind of raw energy, almost hungry, and Jack felt like he was being sucked into a vortex – or a black hole.

'It's time to seal it Jack. You are our brother and the world has to know.'

The room was stifling already. He felt like he was floating in the heat and everything had a surreal edge to it. More surreal than it had been already…but it was all forgotten for the moment, all of it. Everything that mattered was right here in this room. He nodded slowly. They stepped back and Raul pulled a small table over for him to rest his arm on. He closed his eyes as the needle started to buzz, he welcomed the pain of it as it pierced his skin and started the long process of branding him for what he was. _Yes…the world must know…I must never be allowed to forget what I've become…

* * *

_

It took a long time. It was a ceremony of sorts, but a friendly one. All lines between who was in charge and who was a mere worker blurred under the intensity of the heat, the confined space and the glaring light that burned into them all. A lot of alcohol was consumed by everyone except Jack and Raul, they were the epicentre that everything swirled around. Eyes never left them for more than a few seconds – and everyone, including Ramon and Hector – deferred to the small man. He would talk with them, laugh with them and make jokes about when they were boys and all the time his hands worked, strong and steady, never wavering, his eyes never losing focus for a second.

Jack watched the design taking form on his arm. At first he was detached and impassive, then he became fascinated, then enthralled – all the laughing in the background faded slightly and he didn't really listen to what was being said. His eyes were glued to his arm as the picture emerged gradually and as it did, a bond seemed to form with the old man who worked on him carefully. They talked little but said much, Raul somehow passing on things to him through his work – what it was to be part of this strange family, how to live this way and survive…Jack felt calm and at peace, rested even, in a way that even alcohol couldn't provide. It was almost a spiritual experience in this sweltering heat, this tiny part of Mexico. The room and these men were all that mattered and he was joining them, part of something larger – something that cared.

He was always part of something with CTU, it was a machine that ground on day and night. But it hated him as much as it loved him and he felt the same way about it. They tolerated each other – it gave him an identity and a salary, he gave it his soul. As he sat there, it seemed like too high a price…here his soul was already gone. But he got camaraderie and respect, things that hadn't meant anything since he left the Army. Except this really was for life, the tattoo proved it. He'd never be able to leave. And they wouldn't chew him up and spit him out the way his government had time and again – as long as they never found out about the guy that lurked in an ever-diminishing corner of his brain, he would always have a place here.

He figured be wouldn't always feel like this, but that was a thought for later. Right now, he was here and every thing else was 'there' and that was all that mattered. He was Jack Michaels and he had two new brothers and that was just the way it was.

* * *

It was dark when Raul straightened for the final time. The room fell quiet as the old man switched the machine off and sat back, his bald head shining with sweat. Jack looked down at his arm. It was raw and inflamed and the black ink stood out starkly against his white skin. It shone, the face of the Virgin serene and beautiful and Jack felt himself well up a little. It was overpowering, the sense of belonging. He had been looking for something for days now, something to hold onto – and here it was. On his arm and in this room, with these men.

Jack stood and the five guys walked up and shook his hand solemnly, deferring to him with their postures and smiles. Each once nodded his head down slightly, accepting his authority. He looked back, taking it as it was given. Then they left the room, a slight wisp of fresh air entered when they opened the door but it was gone as it closed again, locking the four remaining men inside.

Hector walked over and they looked into each others eyes. Both smiled slightly, then they hugged tightly – Jack meant it this time. Nothing had to be said. Hector stepped back and Ramon came forward. Jack looked into the blackness of his eyes and for the first time, he didn't feel hate or anger or fear or any of the emotions he'd felt before – everything was fine. It just _was_. There was a connection that he couldn't deny anymore. He'd been coming to terms with the idea that he and Ramon were alike since the day Charlie died, and now he accepted it, seeing himself mirrored in the eyes that stared into him. Surely now his humanity was gone too? He couldn't tell, but it felt like it had – and yes, now they could be monsters together and who gave a fuck.

They embraced and Jack could feel the man's heart beating against his. It was slightly elevated and he wondered if Ramon felt the same way he did right now. Close. Joined. _Brothers_.

He did. He knew he did.

Ramon let him go, but grasped him by the shoulders for a moment, acknowledging all that they felt. Then he turned and poured four small shots, handing them out silently. They stood and toasted, the chink of the glasses loud in the silence. And they drank together, properly together, for the first time.

It broke the spell and they all grinned. Ramon put the glasses back down, glanced at Raul and said 'We'll be outside. Don't keep him long, we've got a party to start.' Then he hugged the old man and whispered something in his ear, Hector did the same and they left. Jack wondered what this was about but knew he was safe. When Raul motioned him to sit back in the chair, he did so without question.

'You are probably wondering about all this a little Jack.' He nodded. 'Well it's quite simple really. There are very few men who get the mark of the Virgin – you are now part of a select band. We are a family, in more ways than you can comprehend. It's deeper than blood – it's a bond formed by proving ones loyalty, showing that you are willing to make sacrifices, go the extra mile, do _anything_ for your brothers. They feel that you will, otherwise you would not be here today. And I feel that you will – because you already have.'

'Do you have the mark?' It wasn't on his arm.

'I do.' He stood and pulled his shirt up, it was in the middle of his lower back. 'I have it there because it is at my core. I started the tradition, many years ago, and that is why I am the one to pass it on.'

Jack didn't know what to say and he didn't feel he was here to ask questions. He was here to be told something.

'You know of the boys' father?'

'Not really. Ramon just told me his name.'

'Emmanuel. Yes. He was my brother. We started the business together, back in the days when there were no great drug powers in South America. I was taken early, and spent many years in prison – Ramon took my place. He is a great man Jack, he made the Salazar name one to be feared – and revered. And this is what I want to say to you.'

He leaned forward and Jack was drawn into his deep black eyes. 'You will always be one of us now, in life and death. Your family will never leave you, and you will never be able to leave us. You are a strong man – you are hurting, but you are strong.' He held up his hand to stop Jack's question in its tracks. 'Don't ask me how I know. I don't know the answer myself. But I will tell you – they will always be there for you. And you mustn't let them down because they will never let _you_ down.' Jack was lost in the heat and the light and those eyes. He nodded his understanding, a moment passed. Then they both stood.

'They are my nephews by blood but you are my nephew by loyalty and sacrifice.' He smiled a soft smile. 'And I'm glad you were my last.'

They embraced strongly and Jack walked away. The surrealism was making him dizzy and he couldn't take any more of this, he had to let off some steam. He looked back before he opened the door – the old man looked impossibly small standing there, a lonely figure under the light. Jack was overcome by a wave of sadness but Raul smiled and raised his hand, he smiled back and inclined his head once in a gesture of respect. Then he opened the door to fresh air and a new world, one where he'd never be alone again. And all he could think was _how the **fuck** did I get here…?

* * *

_

The club was loud. Very loud – and full. It was exclusive though, no tourists or cheap riff-raff out to get slaughtered and find a cheap fuck. Everyone in there was rich or powerful or beautiful – sometimes even all three.

They'd piled into the cars after leaving Raul, laughing and pushing each other around, the emotion that had built up through the afternoon needed an outlet. Most of them were pretty drunk already but Jack was stone cold sober – just high on something else. He felt free and unfettered for the first time in years, and by God he was going to enjoy it.

They'd gone for dinner, filling a large table and making a lot of noise. The other visitors to the restaurant hadn't complained though, most of them smiled at the exuberance on display and figured they were friends out for a bachelor party or something. Everyone was having a good time, drinks were flowing and they took turns to head to the bathroom to enjoy some of Columbia's finest cocaine. Jack laughed to himself when he remembered that one name for it was 'Columbian Marching Powder' – it _was_ the true currency here after all…he stopped laughing when he remembered that another name for it was 'Charlie' but he just took an extra line to forget about it, impressing Ramon at the same time. It was the first time he'd ever done coke and he seemed to be taking to it.

There had been a few bars after dinner, and the drinks all blurred into one big one – as did the faces of everyone they came across, even the other guys in the party. The all stumbled down the street, laughing at everything and Jack was flying, he didn't remember ever feeling this good. Not ever. His mind had let go and all he knew was the buzz and the company and both felt great. He didn't even mind the way he couldn't feel his nose, coke was numbing (he hadn't known that before) and it felt weird. But what the hell, the hit was worth it.

'So Jack! You're having a good time then eh?' Ramon had laughed and pulled him into a friendly headlock as they were about to get into the limo again.

'Having a fuckin' great time Ramon!'

'Its all for you my brother! All for you…'

'Why thank you…' He had grinned and playfully punched him in the ribs, just lightly, to get him to let go. Ramon had laughed and tightened his grip.

'Now now, play nice. And I'm not letting you go, not until you promise me something.'

'What's that? What have I got to promise?'

'That'll you'll get laid tonight Jack! I swear, I can't take it anymore – there's pussy everywhere and you turn your nose up at it. You need to have a good time, let South America show you why its women are the best.'

Jack had held a hand up in mock surrender. 'Alright alright! I'll get laid tonight! But I'm only doing it for you Ramon. And I tell ya, I'm not paying for it either.'

'Not paying? Then how will you be sure you get someone good?'

He had chuckled and twisted his head in Ramon's loosening grip so that his blue eyes glinted in the light coming from the car interior. 'I can tell these things Ramon. Don't worry, I'll get it good….'

He'd laughed and let him go. 'To the club then! I want to see this legendary perception in action for myself…'

Hector had stuck his head out of the door. 'Are you ladies coming? I want to get there before it closes…'

* * *

And here they were. Jack sat at the table, a beer in his hand and at least ten shots of tequila in front of him. Well, the table was covered in tequila and they were all his if he wanted them.

Ramon pointed across the club and shouted to be heard. 'There are rooms over there Jack. If you strike out with your attempts to find a single woman in here, you'll get what you need back there!' He pulled a woman into his lap and kissed her deeply, shoving his tongue into her mouth and devouring her. She gasped for air but came up laughing, draping her arms around his neck seductively and grinding slowly in his lap. He grinned and took a shot of tequila, then started to fondle a pert breast through her silk dress. Jack laughed and shook his head. Ramon removed his hand long enough to point at a red bracelet on the woman's wrist. 'This means they work here – they'll give you whatever you need. Hell, take more than one if you need to, take as many as you want.' He aimed a playful slap at him, just above the groin. 'You've got to be needing it by now, I think you've been a nun for a couple of months now!'

He'd laughed some more and admitted to himself that it would be good to have sex tonight. Shit, anything would be good tonight. His problems were behind him and it felt fucking great. He looked around the table, most of the guys were fondling women with red bracelets, Hector was kissing one deeply while another had her hand in his crotch. Javier and Pietro were talking about something to their girls and making them giggle, Pablo and Carlos were standing and as he watched, they headed over to the rooms with two girls in tow – but they all went into one room. Jack stared, and then laughed again. Wow, they were going to have some fun…

'The tab's paid for Jack, you might as well enjoy it!'

'Nah, I told you Ramon. I'm not paying for it. I do want to go to the bathroom though…' He raised an eyebrow and Ramon smiled, reached into his pocket and passed over a small bag. 'Knock yourself out my friend.'

He took the bag and left the table as Ramon turned his attention back to the girl. Jack found an empty stall and locked the door, noticing as he did so that there was already a lot of powder residue on the back of the cistern. _Shit, I could get high off that if I didn't have any…_ He sat down facing the back wall, emptied out a generous amount and began to grind it up with the bottom of his Zippo. He cut it into a couple of long lines – and his eyes rested on his uncovered arm as he did so. He paused, then put the lighter down and lifted his arm closer so he could look properly.

It was beautiful. So beautiful. He wondered whether he would feel this way tomorrow, or the next day, or when they went back to Columbia. And it didn't matter – he felt good _now_ and that was the only important thing. He stared into Mary's calm face and emotion welled up once again, he felt a lump form in his throat and he didn't know why. Eventually he let his arm fall and he just sat for a moment. He felt sad all of a sudden, like a great chasm had opened up inside him and everything had fallen into it, everything that made him, _him_, was gone and the shell was left here. And the man that Ramon had created was like a hermit crab – it had found this shell to protect its soft underbelly and it was inhabiting it, for tonight at least.

He shook the feeling off, grabbed a note and rolled it, stuffed it up his nose and let the powder march through him again. God it was good. His mind took off and the sadness was gone, he was Michaels again – and ready to play some more.

He took a leak and then headed to the bar. A glance at the table told him Ramon was busy and that was fine, because now he wanted something else from this night. He stood and waited for the bartender to notice him but kept half an eye on the room, looking out for women who weren't wearing wristbands. There were quite a few and he knew some were single because of the way they noticed him noticing them. Most smiled seductively and he smiled back – but he didn't see anything he quite liked enough yet.

'Buy you a drink?'

He turned at the sound of the voice close to his ear – and came face to face with a young boy, couldn't have been more than twenty two. Slim and sleek, with light skin and thick black hair, everything about him screamed 'gay'. Jack smirked. 'No thanks buddy. But thanks for asking yeah?'

The boy smiled and shrugged. 'Cant blame me for trying.' He looked him up and down appraisingly and sighed in mock regret. 'Oh well…' Jack grinned at him and let him go, went back to scanning the room.

Ramon watched with half an eye from across the club. He was almost ready to head to the rooms himself, his hooker had been joined by another one and they were both pretty tempting. But he wanted to make sure Jack got someone first – and he wanted to see if he made good on his promise as well. He saw the way the man was working the room with his eyes, he looked like a predator on the hunt – which he was, but he wasn't intimidating. Not on purpose anyway. And it was working for him already, his blond hair in this club was attracting a lot of attention and women were obviously liking the rest of him as well. A few approached him but left with disappointed looks on their faces – Ramon frowned. What the hell was he waiting for?

Jack declined another offer of a drink and didn't really know why. He didn't even know why he'd been so adamant not to get a hooker – maybe it was just because he'd never used one before, but the whole idea of paying for sex seemed sordid to him. Besides, he wanted someone who _wanted_ him, even if it was just his body – he didn't want anything fake. And that's what prostitutes were. Still, he wasn't sure why he'd turned down three perfectly good offers now either.

He got a beer and a couple of shots, which he slammed, and decided to walk around the room for a while. His eyes moved constantly and his mind flew above it all, the beat from the DJ pulsing through his veins, mixing with his drug-fuelled senses and sending him into orbit, a mass of pent up energy. He wanted to let some of it out, he felt like he was about to take off.

Ramon watched as he walked, drinking slowly from his bottle at times. God, he was like fire, you couldn't help but be drawn to him. Maybe it was because he was practically the only light-haired man in the joint but he stood out like a sore thumb – people stood aside as he walked, even taken women looked him up and down and men didn't look him in the eye. He was like a tornado across a field, you could see him from miles away…

Jack surveyed the place slowly. The beat of the music changed to something slower, sexier and Christ, it filled him up and made him want to get out of here with someone. He knew he would – he just needed to find the right one. His beer was empty, he wanted another. There was time yet, this place didn't close until the last person left.

Ramon followed him with his eyes. He could see the glimpse of the tattoo every now and again and he got an unreasoning surge of pride when he did – that was _his_ mark. _He_ had put it there…He could see the other tattoos too, peeking out from under the sleeves of his shirt, black ink on hard, pale skin. He groaned softly as a hand massaged his full groin…he realised that he was excited and he wasn't exactly sure what had caused it…

Jack waited to get the bartenders attention again. He could feel the vibrations of the music coming up from the floor, through the souls of his feet, through every nerve and muscle, making his body hum…

'Buy you a drink?'

The voice was male again and he sighed. Did he look gay or something? A faint ripple of annoyance ran through him and that made him even more irritated – he didn't want anything to kill this mood. He had just gotten over all the pissed-off shit. His eyes fell on a beautiful woman with short dark hair, he smiled at her as he turned to blow off this guy, the words falling from his lips while his eyes trailed behind.

'I don't think…'

The world stopped. The music screeched to a halt and everything in him disappeared. He was standing in a silent place, shock tore everything out of him and his face collapsed into a confused mask of horrified surprise.

Tony. It was Tony. Fucking Tony, standing right there in front of him, leaning on the bar with one arm and an angry-looking smirk on his lips. Jack felt like he'd fallen into some sick parallel universe, his mind scrambled for something to hang onto as it threatened to tip into the abyss along with everything else.

_Is he real? What the fuck? What the **fuck** is this shit! I've taken a lot of drugs and I'm really pissed. Shit, I've been seeing Charlie for days now and he'd dead…it's fucking Tony, he cant be here…_

He stuck out a finger and poked him in the arm. He was solid and was looking down at the finger with confusion. But his eyes played the cover and his mouth followed suit.

'Senor?' Just the right mix of surprise and warning. _What are you doing Jack…?_

He finally found his voice and the world started to filter in again. 'What the…?'

'Buy you a **drink**?' God, he must be obvious if Tony was hinting at him to keep in character.

'Sure.' He was mumbling, desperately trying to make some sense of this.

Tony bought a couple of beers and Jack stared at the top of the bar, not daring to look at him. He was starting to get angry now, it was replacing all the good feelings and that made him sick. _How dare he? How fucking **dare** he come down here…!_

Tony switched to English, it was marginally safer than Spanish. 'We gotta talk Jack. Follow me.' He made towards the rooms for the hookers and Jack followed dumbly, not even thinking about it. He couldn't quite get a handle on what was happening.

Ramon watched the exchange from across the room. He face furrowed in confusion when Jack seemed to reach out and touch the man, then they turned to the bar and got a drink. And then they walked together and Ramon couldn't believe his eyes when they headed to the back. He chuckled, then laughed, then he couldn't stop, he laughed so hard he was almost choking, oblivious to girls rubbing his back and asking him if was OK…_Oh mi Dios! So it all becomes clear! No wonder you've been staying away from the women Jack….and I never suspected, not for an instant! I guess you thought I would be preoccupied and wouldn't see…well you were right, I guess you're not paying for it. That guy wasn't wearing a bracelet as far as I could see…_

He was in pain from laughing so hard, he could hardly breathe. He did manage to look around and see if any of the other guys had noticed but they hadn't, they were all too preoccupied. Hector was almost fucking right there on the seat and one of the girls was jacking Javier off under the table. Ramon's eyes swung back to the door that Jack was disappearing into. _You're a dark horse Jack…I like that. And this is **very** useful information…I think you and I are going to have more fun that we ever realised…

* * *

_

Jack had to keep himself from swinging at Tony the second the door closed behind them. He settled for hitting the wall hard and then leaning on it with his palms flat and his head down.

'What the fuck are you doing here man? What the _fuck_ are you doing here!'

'I'm here because you're not doing your job Jack!'

His eyes went flat at that and he swirled around, grabbed Tony by the throat and pinned him to the wall, slamming him hard and making his head bounce off the plaster. 'What did you just say to me?'

Tony stared into the hard blue eyes, shock ran through him and bit into his core._Oh my God, he's crazy…_ 'Jack…let go…'

The pressure disappeared from his neck suddenly and Jack turned away. 'Not doing my job? How's that?'

'What the hell are you doing man? Are you OK?'

'Just tell me what you're doing here and get out. I'm working.'

'It doesn't look like you're working! I've been watching you for the last hour. You and Ramon Salazar were giggling like girls over there, and he was practically fucking that girl in front of you. And you've made a few trips to the bathroom Jack – I'm assuming that your bladder isn't _that_ weak. Are you taking something? Cos it sure looks that way and that's not you man…'

_It is now…_

'Tony, I'm doing what I need to do. And you still haven't explained why you're here.'

'You're missing calls. Then you let us know that there's a DEA guy here. We start proceedings to work out jurisdiction and the next day you call and tell us he's dead. In virtually the same sentence, you tell us that they trust you now and you wont be calling in when you're supposed to. Maybe not at all, for weeks. Chappelle went crazy when he heard that call, he was ready to pull the plug completely. The only way I could convince him not to was if I came down here and saw you for myself.' He stopped and drew in a long breath. Jack was staring off into space, his eyes glazed and unfocused. 'JACK!'

'What!' There was pure venom in his voice and Tony almost took a step back.

'Look, Michelle didn't put it together. But I did as soon as I heard the call.' He stepped closer. 'What did you do Jack? What happened to Charles Daniels?'

The walls were closing in and he couldn't breathe. The face was back, the blood, the screams…he gasped for air and swayed, the alcohol and drugs making themselves known properly for the first time. And reality was back, Bauer's reality, and it was like a slug in the heart. He sat on the bed and put his head in his hands.

'What did I do? I did my job Tony, the one you just accused me of failing at. They found out about Daniels and killed him. What do you want me to say? You just pointed out that Ramon and I are getting on well – that's what I'm supposed to be doing, getting on with him. So what do you want from me? What else can I fucking give you man, what else do you want to take?'

His voice was hollow and desperate and Tony stared down at him in horror. _What's happened to him?_

'How did they find out about him?'

'What does it matter? We got what we wanted – I'm in. The meeting with the Saudis has been put back to next week, I'll call after that and let you know what happens.'

But Tony's attention was elsewhere. Jack's arm was turned to the light and there was a vivid black and red mark on it. He walked over silently and grabbed his wrist, the colour draining from his face as he looked.

'Oh my God. Jack, did they do this to you?' He was whispering. Jack pulled his arm back.

'Who cares? It's just a tattoo.'

_(Liar)_

'I can get it removed if I have to.'

Tony just stared at him, at a loss for words. He'd expected to come here, get an explanation from Jack, an update on the mission and then go home. He would tell Chappelle that everything was proceeding normally and it would all be fine. He had been glad that he was Latino and would fit in down here, glad that he had an opportunity to salvage the work they'd put into this.

But now – he had the feeling he was going to have to go back and recommend they pulled the plug after all. Jack looked awful. Physically he looked wrecked and he was clearly high. His body was a shadow of its former self – and his eyes were just scary. _He_ was just scary. He looked like he could lose it at any moment and that was just too big a risk to take. But in the end, he spoke as the friend he'd never quite been to the man in front of him.

'Jack, you've gotta get out of here. It isn't worth it. It isn't worth this.'

He raised his head and his face was like thunder. 'Don't you dare.' And his whisper was like steel. 'Don't you fucking even think about it Tony. You have no idea…' He swallowed and drew himself up. 'I'm not leaving. I'm not making all our work useless. I will see this through – and there's nothing to worry about. I'm fine. I can do my job man, now fucking go home and do yours. What the hell was Chappelle thinking, what the hell were _you_ thinking, coming here! I've now got to go out there and hope like fuck Ramon didn't see you come in here, because otherwise I'll have a lot of explaining to do. This thing could be over already because of this. And I've worked too hard, we both have. So get out! I will _call_ you if there's anything to report. Until then, you'll just have to wait.'

'Jack…'

'No! Stop it. This was madness and you may have compromised me. Don't make it worse.'

'Worse? How can it be worse? Look at yourself! You're a wreck! And that call…shit Jack, that call was just…'

'Just what?' _Couldn't you let me have one good night to forget about all this? Why did it have to be tonight?_

'Well, Michelle and I have to face an inquiry for a start. You had to mouth off about us – and we hadn't even told you. That was just cruel…'

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Tony was bringing _that_ up? 'Fine. I'm sorry. Will you go now please?'

'You haven't told me what happened to Daniels.'

'It doesn't matter.'

'Of course it fucking matters! He was a DEA agent! He has a wife and kids…' Tony stopped at the look that crossed Jack's features. He turned his face up to him and the pain there was enough to take a man's breath away. Which it did. 'Jack…' He could only whisper.

'If DEA want him back, he's at the location I already gave you. In the barn. They know where it is anyway. He'll be in bad shape so warn them if you have to.'

'Who did it.'

'It doesn't matter.'

'It _does_ matter.'

Jack opened his mouth to speak but no words came out. The light in his eyes died and Tony felt his heart plummet into his boots. 'Oh Jack. Oh fucking hell man…'

'Just leave. I've gotta get back out there.'

Tony turned away. There was nothing else he could say. His mind was reeling and he felt sick. Then he remembered something and turned back. 'Kim sends her love.'

Jack dropped his gaze to the floor and fought to stay conscious as darkness threatened to close in at hearing the name. _Don't talk about her here. Don't mention her name again, not here. This is not where she belongs, not in my head down here. This is Michaels' world and Kim is no part of it…_

…_fuck Tony are you **trying** to kill me? Why don't I just cut my heart outta my chest and grind it into the floor for you? Leave me alone man…and don't mention her to me again. I cant bear it…_

'Thanks. Send it back, yeah?'

'Yeah. And we'll wait for your call.' He waited for some inspiration, something that would somehow make this better. Nothing came to him. 'I'm sorry Jack.'

'Yeah.' He opened the door and disappeared into the thudding music and swirling bodies of the main room. Jack stood, staring at the ground, locked in place for a moment. He went to the door and closed it, then he poured himself some more coke, more than he'd been taking up until now. He cut another couple of lines, ground them and snorted them quickly. His insides were roiling and his hands were shaking and yet again, he just wanted this all to go away. It was too much to bear.

He went to the door, his mind buzzing again. There was a girl passing, she was wearing a red wristband.

'Hey! You busy?'

'No baby. You want something?'

'Yeah, get in here.' She smiled and entered the room. Jack turned to the dresser where there was a large bowl of condoms waiting, as well as various other sex toys and playthings. For a second he wondered if they ever got washed between clients but shoved the thought away, he wasn't going to be using them anyway. He picked up some lube and tossed it at her. 'Use that.'

'I will honey. But first we need to talk about something?'

His eyes were on her body and he was imagining what he was going to do to her, just to get hard as quickly as he could so he could get it done. He needed this, anything to disappear again. 'What is there to talk about? Use it.'

'Money sweetheart.'

'You're paid for.'

'Oh?'

'I'm here with Ramon Salazar. Take your clothes off.'

She smirked and for the first time in his life, Jack wanted to hit a woman. 'Anyone can say that honey, and Ramon is a bit too busy to go and ask right now.'

He just sighed. The he turned his arm over so she could see the tattoo. Her eyes went wide, then she grinned and looked at him. 'OK then.' She dropped to her knees in front of him and got as far as unzipping him before he pulled her up again.

'I don't want you to suck my cock. Just use that,' he nodded at the lube, 'and bend over the table.' He reached into his jeans, ignoring her frown, and started rubbing himself hard and fast, taking his semi-erect penis and bringing it to full size. He watched while she massaged the lube onto herself, she would need it because he sure as hell wasn't going to play with her to get her ready. When she had done, he walked over, pulled up her dress and bent her over roughly, pushing her legs further apart with one knee. He groaned when he buried himself inside her, letting the sensation around his cock spread throughout his body and take the edge off his pain. He thrust again, then again, harder and harder, losing himself in heat and friction, wanting this to go on forever just so he never had to come back again.

He knew it wouldn't last. But at this point, he was just barely hanging on and he would take whatever he could get.

* * *

Ramon saw the dark man leave the room alone, his face flushed and with a bruise forming on his neck. The guy looked washed out and tired, and he laughed to himself quietly. _You like it rough Jack? I bet you do…_ He left the club without looking back and Ramon stood, the two girls following close behind. Now he could go and enjoy himself. But not too much. The real enjoyment would be later, and the anticipation of that was the most intoxicating thing he'd felt in a long time. Jack just seemed to have that effect on him.

END OF PART ONE


	17. Cum Tacent, Clamant II, I

A/N: There may be a little confusion in this chapter, some things that are not obviously explained. The reason for this is there has been a chapter - the real ending of Part I - that I can't post here due to extremely adult content. If anyone wants to read it, email me and I'll direct you where to look. Hopefully, the gist of what happened will be fairly obvious anyway.

Thanks to everyone who's reading and commenting:)

* * *

**Part II, Chapter I**

Jack looked at himself in the mirror for a long moment, staring at the man there. Then he let out a long breath and turned the shower and the taps on, the usual ritual. Then the call, the routing through the switchboard, the clicking on the line, the waiting…

'Jack. How's it going?'

Tony's voice was immediate and worried and Jack rubbed his temple as he sat.

'It's going fine. We're back in Columbia and met with the Saudi Arabians. You'll need to be standing by next week, I'll have news.'

'What was the meeting about and what was decided?'

'Ramon agreed to take four men and train them. They'll be arriving in a week or two – probably next week but that's subject to their entry into South America. I'm going to try and get their names, the group haven't told us yet and they might not, aliases might be used. But if I can find out, I will, and then you need to check the watch lists for them – they may come in via the US. In all likelihood they're unknowns to us, they're probably young otherwise they wouldn't risk sending them abroad. I'll try and find out their plans, then you need to watch the airports and get photographs of everyone that could be a possible match. Get them to me and I'll ID them for you so you know who they are for the future.'

'How am I gonna get the pictures to you, assuming we get any?'

'I'm getting a laptop, I'll contact you when I do.'

There was a slight pause. 'I'm surprised you're being allowed a computer Jack – I guess you were right, they trust you.'

'Well I told you that didn't I?' He was impatient and didn't bother to hide it. 'They don't stick a tattoo on everyone y'know.'

'I guess not. What worries me is what you had to do to get it Jack.'

Jack cursed to himself and ground his teeth in exasperation. Every call with Tony was a pain in the ass. And he didn't like him saying things like that during a call that would be decoded and analysed by a bunch of people. 'Well, _don't_ worry about it.' he hesitated for a moment and Tony was silent. 'So you didn't tell Chappelle to pull the plug then?'

'I'm still deciding whether I should or not Jack. I told him I was worried about the way it was going. We were waiting to hear from you again.'

'Well, now you have – and I'll have information for you soon. So you can't pull me now, alright?'

He heard a sigh and knew it would be OK. 'I guess not. Regardless of what I say, Chappelle will want to know about these guys. If it were up to me though…' He left the sentence hanging and Jack felt the urge to hang up on him.

'Just say what you're gonna say Tony, I don't have all day.'

'OK – if it were up to me, you'd be out of there by now.' _Hell Jack, I should've just taken you with me out of that club. It's what I've thought about every day since then. You shouldn't be there – and I should have known that before you even left. I knew there was something wrong…_

'Tony, if you really thought that you'd have started things to force me out. You want this information just like everyone else does…and I'm getting it for you. So what are you complaining about?' _And Tony? I should be the one mad at **you** right now, so don't start with me. You have no idea what your showing up forced me to do, so stop with your whining._

He was greeted with more silence and had to bite back the urge not to yell at him down the line. Why couldn't a conversation ever just be straightforward? It was when they were face to face, so what was the problem now? It always seemed like Tony was trying to get something across without saying it and it was getting boring. 'Tony, are you there? I've gotta get off this phone and get up to Ramon's so is there anything you need to tell me?'

'Yeah there is.'

'Well?'

'DEA found the body of Charles Daniels.' Jack shut his eyes and willed himself not to say anything, forced back the panic that threatened to swamp him. 'They went down to the location that he'd given them, to get him back.' Tony stopped and waited for Jack to say something, but there was nothing, not even the sound of breathing. 'He was pretty messed up. I requested the report and read it yesterday…they said he was tortured for hours. Cause of death was pretty obvious, seeing as his insides were all on the outside.' Still silence. 'You were wondering why I think you shouldn't be there anymore? Well honestly Jack, if…' He broke off because he didn't know what he had been about to say. He looked around his empty office and was glad that he was alone. 'Jack, I'm going to cut this part of the conversation out before I give it to anyone. Just tell me something, off the record.'

'What?'

His whisper sounded like it came from outer space and Tony began to wish he'd never brought this up. He dropped his voice, even though he was alone – it just seemed appropriate. Like it might make the answer to his question easier to hear if it wasn't said loudly. 'Just tell me you didn't use the knife Jack. The rest…the rest is stuff I've seen done before. The last thing? That's….something else. Tell me you didn't…'

Jack was trying to focus on the wall in front of him, trying to pretend that he wasn't hearing this. 'Tony, what does it matter? He's still dead.'

_It does matter Jack, because gutting someone is the work of a psychopath – and if you did it, I'm getting you out of there and I'm telling the appropriate people to get you put into a hospital. I mean it._

_I think I do anyway._

'Just tell me.'

He held his breath. And then, 'No. No, I didn't use the knife. You happy now?'

He could hardly speak with relief. 'Actually, yes I am.' Jack didn't reply. 'OK then. I'll make sure everything's ready for when you get in touch next week. Email me when you get your computer, alright? Tell me the domain name you want us to use and the cover, and then I can get in touch with you whenever. I'll upload encryption software to you as well.' He was babbling and he knew it, but he couldn't stop.

'Tony? I've really got to go. I know what I've got to do, don't worry. I'll talk to you next week.'

Tony stared at the handset for a second when it went dead. He was so relieved he almost felt light-headed. For a day now, he'd really been wondering whether Jack had lost it completely – from what he'd seen for himself in Mexico City, he'd been uncomfortably close to concluding that Jack _was_ capable of doing what had been done to Daniels, and it made him feel sick. But when Jack had answered the question, he'd actually sounded like Jack again and Tony knew that whatever else was going in, the man he knew was still in there somewhere, doing his job.

* * *

Jack hung up and stared at the floor. He hadn't been expecting to hear about Charlie again, not until he got back and had to debrief anyway. He'd been wondering about which way to play it – DEA would want to know what had happened to their guy. And Jack knew that eventually, he'd have to tell the truth – there was no way he could lie and say he knew nothing about it. Even if Tony hadn't guessed. It was the one thing that was making him feel better at the moment – the knowledge that he would eventually pay for what he had done.

He shook himself and stood up. There was no point thinking about this now. It could be years down the line for all he knew, although the chances of him being here for a very long time had been cut dramatically. When they had been estimating the length of time he'd be away, none of them had thought that he would gain their trust as quickly as he had, Jack included. Now that he was privy to deeper information, it might not take him long to come up with something big enough to warrant an arrest. And that was good. Wasn't it?

Things had changed yet again and as Jack stepped into the shower to cool down, he had to admit that he was worried. His relationship with Ramon seemed different – which was inevitable he supposed – but it wasn't yet obvious whether it was changed for the better or not. He'd been ignored for a few days in Mexico, and then that night had happened and now…well, Ramon wasn't excluding him from business anymore, so that was good. Instead he was almost back to how he'd been at the beginning – the extrovert boss that never stopped watching him with...it was something like distrust. Only Jack knew he was trusted, probably as much as he ever would be. It just seemed that Ramon was being careful around him – and the eyes rarely left him when he was in the room, but they didn't seem to meet his as often. It was strange and Jack was plagued with thoughts about whether he'd done the right thing or not. He knew he had really, he couldn't allow himself to be cut out of the loop so there hadn't been a choice but still, it made him think.

He showered quickly, just to get the heat away from him for a while and after he dried off, he examined the tattoo closely. It was healing OK, despite the fact that none of the usual necessary care had been taken with it in the beginning. It had scabbed over and was blurry because of that, but it would be alright in a few more days. He found that he was actually looking forward to seeing it completely healed, it was really beautiful. Maybe he wouldn't get rid of it when he got back to LA…well, it was just a tattoo. Nothing sinister about it. Even as he dressed and told himself that it would be the only reminder of this place, he knew it wasn't true.

He walked down the stairs in his new lodgings, another house to himself but it was larger than the last one. This whole compound was bigger, much bigger, a huge sprawling ranch in virtually the middle of nowhere. There was a small town about twenty miles away but you'd never know it – and he stuck out like a sore thumb, the only gringo anywhere in this part of Columbia he imagined. They were east of the Andes now, a part of the country renowned for its gangs and drug wars, there were no tourists here. Nothing but suspicion and guns and lots of people with itchy trigger fingers. Jack knew he'd be an obvious target for the wrong people – any of the Salazars' rivals would know that he held a high position otherwise he wouldn't be here at all – the tattoo was just further confirmation. He'd have to watch his back if he left the compound, news of an American in the area would travel fast and wouldn't be welcomed.

He fixed himself a tall glass of whiskey and water and went to sit on the swing on the back porch. He had to go up to the house for dinner later, but not yet and he didn't have anything to do. In fact, he hadn't been given any specific role to play yet, he didn't know exactly what Ramon had in mind for him. Maybe the man himself didn't know, but he probably had a few ideas. He wouldn't be idle for long so he just decided to relax while he could. He sipped at his drink and stared at the paddocks behind his place, there were a couple of horses grazing idly and it was peaceful. He could hear people shouting to each other in the distance as they worked on something and there was a low hum from distant trucks as things were moved around and the running of the ranch went on around him. Flies buzzed lazily in the heat and crickets chirped in the sparse patches of brush and grass that grew along the fence…all in all, it could be a pretty chilled day. If it weren't the fact that this was an outpost of a major drug lord's illegal business of course. But on a day like today, it was easy to forget what went on here. Easy to forget what he was doing here too. He had a hard job to convince himself he shouldn't just close his eyes and take a nap here in the sun actually, he was pretty tired.

He'd stopped drinking so much as soon as they'd left Mexico City. As far as he was concerned, he was back at work now and therefore couldn't get paralytic every night, regardless of the consequences. The first night had been pretty rough – dreams of Charlie, Teri was in there too and Ramon whispering in his ear - but it had passed. They'd been back almost a week now and although he woke up from a nightmare every night, he could no longer remember specifics of what he'd been dreaming about. It still meant he spent a large portion of every night lying awake though, insomnia was bugging him but at least there were no images to go along with it. Lack of sleep was getting to him a little, he noticed it in an abstract way – times like now when he just wanted to drift off and generally, the world seemed to be something that happened outside of an invisible roll of cotton wool that surrounded him. It was kind of like being on drugs again, everything seemed removed. But he wasn't worried because he'd found he could snap out of it easily enough when he had to. He'd been fully alert during the meeting with the Saudi Arabians and he was every time he was around Ramon. It was just in quiet moments that it became a problem.

He was just allowing his eyelids to droop when he heard his front door banging.

'Jack, you in here?'

'Out the back Hector.' He stood as Hector walked through the house and appeared in the doorway. 'What's up man?'

'Just thought I'd come by for a chat.'

'OK. Can I get you a drink?'

'Sure.'

He sat down on the swing and Jack went back inside to get another whiskey, topping up his own as he did so. Then he headed back outside, wondering if this visit had a point – Hector had never come by for no reason before. He handed the drink over and sat down next to him.

'Everything OK?'

'Yes Jack, everything's fine. I just thought that you and I have never really talked together, not properly and with no one else around. Ramon seems to have commandeered you!'

He laughed as he said the last bit. Jack laughed along but he couldn't stop himself thinking _you're more right than you know man…_. At least, he hoped Hector didn't know. It was hard to imagine that Ramon would spread the news around but then, maybe he was proud of it. That hadn't occurred to him before and his stomach clenched slightly at the thought of it.

'Anyway, I wanted to make it clear that I'm glad you're here and I'm glad that you had the chance to join us properly. I'll admit that I had some doubts at first, Ramon saw your potential before I did. But he was right – I'll think you'll be a great asset to our business.'

Jack felt strangely touched. He hadn't expected to hear this from Hector, although he had guessed that he must have approved of everything that happened up to this point. Ramon was undoubtedly in charge of things, but he wouldn't actively ignore his brother's input – he didn't get where he was by being stupid and going up against his closest partner.

'Thanks man, I really appreciate that. I hope I'll continue to be useful to you both.'

Hector laughed and slapped his shoulder. 'Jack, you don't have to talk to me like I'm Ramon. Yes, I'm his brother, and second-in-command around here. But I'll be working where I always work in the business, you'll be with Ramon so you don't have to talk like I'm way above you. It's the three of us running things now, we need to work together.'

That was interesting. Hector was saying that he didn't need to kiss his ass – Jack had had him down for an egotistical man, someone who enjoyed having people underneath him. Considering his place within the family, it was strange that he was ceding power like this. Unless he was after something of course – but nothing in his demeanour suggested it.

'Well, Ramon hasn't exactly said what he wants me to do yet. The specifics I mean. I assumed I'd be going back out with the guys and training them.'

'No, I doubt that. Well, maybe sometimes. But as you saw from our meeting earlier, narcotics are not our only form of income. I expect that you'll be working more with that side of things – I've got the drugs pretty much covered. I oversee things in Mexico and Brazil - the trade routes, the cultivation and the shipping into the US as well. Ramon deals with our people abroad. In both areas of our business. He oversees everything of course but he knows I know what I'm doing. But I believe he's thinking of expanding, so you'll probably be helping him with that.'

Jack smiled and exalted in his head. It couldn't be more perfect. 'Well, I'll do whatever's needed.'

Hector glanced at him. 'Yes, I think you've proved that much.' His statement was loaded and Jack looked away. He pulled out a cigarette to hide the movement, then offered one to the other man. He didn't want to talk about Charlie – assuming that's what Hector had meant of course. But it didn't seem that he was going to get away from it. 'Tell me Jack, did you enjoy what you did to the traitor?' He seemed genuinely curious. Jack looked at the ground and decided honesty was the best policy.

'Enjoy it? No, not really. But it had to be done, so I did it.'

'Did you approve of what Ramon did?' _Woah…dangerous question…_ 'Because I was watching you when he pulled the knife out and you didn't look very happy. Even less so when he used it.'

Jack spoke carefully, aware that his answer might get back to Ramon. 'It's not a question of approval Hector – it was up to him which way he wanted it to finish. As he said, he was the one who was being betrayed, so he had the right.'

'That's a very diplomatic answer Jack. Now tell me what you really think. I'm just curious – you had tortured him for a while after all, so I know you're not squeamish.'

'Well…I don't know. I guess I had just assumed that he would be shot. I don't like knives very much – you know how we Americans are with our guns.' He tried to lighten the conversation with a chuckle, Hector smirked and acknowledged the truth in what he said. 'Doing that to him – I've heard of it of course, I had just never seen it done. And killing with a knife is just a very personal way to do it…I'd kind of gotten to like Charlie, so I think it shocked me a bit.'

Hector pulled at his drink and seemed to appreciate his honesty. 'I see. Well…his treachery _was_ personal Jack. To Ramon, to me – and now to you. And if anyone else is caught with the same thing in mind, the same thing will happen to them. Maybe Ramon will let you do it yourself next time, if there is one.'

Jack's blood ran cold at the thought that it might ever happen again, and made up his mind then and there that he wouldn't ever get close to any of the guys, just in case. 'Well, I'll do what he asks me to do Hector.'

They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments, just drinking and smoking quietly. Jack decided to ask a question that he'd been thinking about earlier.

'Do we have rivals very close by here? I know this is a pretty fraught area.'

Hector just shrugged and was unconcerned. 'Yes – about a hundred miles east of here there is a ranch belonging to Patrido Montez. Not his headquarters though, we're not sure where they are. He wouldn't have them this close to us anyway, but it's a fairly large distribution point of his.'

'Is he your biggest rival?'

'Probably.' An idea began to seed in Jacks head, but he decided to stay quiet for the time being. 'He's not causing us any problems at the moment though, we're not at war. We had a council five years ago and agreed territory, neither of us has strayed from that.' Hector looked at him curiously. 'Why are you interested?'

Jack shrugged. 'Just wanted to get an idea of the layout. There's no such thing as useless information.'

Hector laughed and started to say something but was interrupted by the sound of his name being called. He stood and walked into the house, re-emerging a few moments later with Claudia behind him. Jack smiled to himself about the lack of respect for what was supposed to be his house, but then, it was owned by the Salazars anyway so it wasn't like he could say anything. Hector sat down again and pulled Claudia onto his lap.

'Hello Jack.'

He smiled at her because she was smiling at him. 'Claudia.'

She sized him up quietly – he looked better than before he had gone away. There was a distant look in his eyes and he was still very thin, but his skin was more tanned than ever and there wasn't such a wasted look about him. Her eyes roved over him as Hector kissed her neck unselfconsciously, she saw the tattoo for the first time. Her heart leapt a little in shock at the sight of it, but she didn't comment. After the initial surprise, she wondered why she was surprised at all. Ramon's interest in him had been clear from the beginning and he had outed Charlie after all.

'Did you have fun in Mexico?' She saw that he looked a little uncomfortable at the question.

'Yes thanks, it was a really good time.' He didn't want to talk about it – and was amazed at how Hector could look so unconcerned, seeing as how he had fucked everything that looked at him with no thought to his girlfriend waiting at home. Maybe Ramon had been right and she knew about it and didn't care. It didn't seem right somehow – she was a beautiful woman and had more class than any whore.

'Anyway, I just came down to tell you that dinner will be ready very soon. Why don't you both come up to the house now? Ramon is downstairs already.'

Jack looked at her and saw why she had come to get them. She didn't like being around Ramon on her own. He wondered suddenly if he had ever tried anything on with her – surely her being his brother's girlfriend wouldn't stop him? Nothing much seemed to stop him from doing anything he wanted. For a moment, he thought back to Mexico City…and then stopped himself. It wasn't something he wanted to dwell on. Either the event itself, or his reactions to it. It was another thing that wasn't going to get dealt with if he could help it.

They were standing now so Jack downed his drink and stood as well. He was glad Hector had come – the man was affable and seemed to accept him without the brooding intensity that he always got from Ramon. An uncomplicated friendship

_(not friendship, **not** friendship)_

with him might be quite nice. Especially as it didn't sound like he'd be dealing with him much on a professional basis.

They wandered up to the house together, not in any rush. Jack looked around him, he couldn't help but notice the furtive looks thrown at them by some of the men that were working nearby. They looked scared and on their guard – he wondered at what point he had become someone to be feared. Or maybe it was Hector they were afraid of. His logical mind told them that it was both of them. Hr also found that he was more alert as they neared the main house, it was what usually happened when he got near Ramon. He hadn't noticed it before but then, he had been constantly alert before. An idle speculation crossed his mind, that perhaps he should worry about this fugue that seemed to be surrounding him but somehow, he just couldn't bring himself to care.

They headed inside, Jack welcoming the cool air of the interior that brushed his face. It was always hot outside, even when it was raining but it had been unseasonably dry for the time of year. It was the beginning of December now, and so, they were entering the dry season for this part of the country anyway – Jack wasn't really looking forward to the fact that Christmas was coming up. He didn't let himself think about it anyway, it was no big deal. They might not even celebrate it for all he knew.

Claudia walked into the cavernous kitchen, Hector led Jack over to the lounge, a huge room with two fireplaces and lots of armchairs. They certainly lived well, but he didn't care – as always, Ramon commanded attention as soon as he was seen. He was there now, reading a newspaper and smoking a cigar, seemingly oblivious to their presence. He didn't move but Jack could feel his awareness shifting as soon as he heard them. It was as though it rested on him and probed him, waiting for him to do or say something. He never knew what was expected, so he tended to just stay quiet.

Hector went straight for the drinks, waving Jack into a seat as he went. He sat down and waited. There was a strange atmosphere, he sort of felt like he was a kid called in front of the headmaster. It was weird, he hadn't felt this uncomfortable around them for ages now.

Eventually Ramon lowered the newspaper and threw it aside. 'Did Claudia say how long dinner would be?' He didn't look at Jack but it didn't take a genius to see that he was in a bad mood.

'Not long,' Hector handed him another drink. 'I'll go and see.'

Ramon wanted to tell him not to leave the room but it was too late, he strolled out, sipping at a tequila. He and Jack were left alone and the silence was instantly awkward. It was the first time they'd been alone in a non-work situation since Mexico City. Ramon stared at him and he resisted the urge to fidget. But unlike other times when things had been like this, Ramon didn't seem to be enjoying his discomfort. For the first time ever, he seemed to share it somewhat. Eventually he seemed to think he should break the silence.

'You're going to have to move up to the main house Jack.'

Jack kept his face impassive while nervous energy flooded him instantly. _What? He doesn't mean…no, he can't want…what?_

Ramon seemed to read his stiffness and frowned. 'When the Saudi Arabians arrive I mean. They'll have to have your house. I can't have them roughing it with the rest of the single guys, they're paying for the privilege of being here. But I don't want them in this house either.'

Jack relaxed and tried not to show that he'd been worried at all. 'Yeah, that's no problem.'

Silence descended again. Jack didn't know what the hell to say. Ramon had seemed mostly fine with him until now – but they'd never really been alone. And…OK, if he was honest, it would be weird to be under the same roof as him at night. But the way he was acting, he didn't seem as though he had any intentions of a repeat performance.

Ramon was cursing himself internally. He had no idea this would seem so weird. He'd been keeping his distance from Jack for the past week – what had seemed like such a good idea in Mexico, didn't seem that way now. If it had just been what he had intended it to be – a power fuck – then there would be no problem. But he couldn't forget the feeling that had engulfed him that night, the feeling that Jack had somehow got close to him in a totally unexpected way…it made him uneasy. He was sure the awkwardness would pass, but just at the moment, it was all too fresh in his mind. He watched Jack sitting there, fairly comfortably by the look of things, and wondered if he had any clue. He cast around for a benign topic, but the atmosphere was starting to weigh on him and it blanked his mind. He was thankful when Hector yelled through that dinner was ready, he got up without a word and left the room.

Claudia watched as Ramon entered the dining room, closely followed by Jack. There was a strange silence, there was no sign that they were even acknowledging each other. Her brow furrowed. _What's going on with those two?_ It didn't seem like they'd had a disagreement – if they had, Ramon would be exuding anger and wouldn't let Jack in the house. Instead, they were both carefully quiet…it was weird. Hector didn't notice and started chatting about a phone call he'd taken from Alviro. Ramon listened, Jack probably was too but he seemed removed from them, not participating in the conversation.

She turned away and picked up some cutlery, deep in thought. Something had gone on. She had no idea what, but it was curious. And Jack – well, she didn't know him well. But his position was clearly changed – he sat there comfortably, like he belonged, not feeling he had to make his mark on the conversation and prove something. Hector included him and he responded – and Ramon, who had always seemed to be the one who had been interested in Jack, virtually ignored him – but there no animosity, which was strange in itself.

She went to join them, still pondering. If nothing else, Jack was making life interesting. She had been bored recently, especially when Hector was away. She didn't like the business and often didn't like _him_ and that translated in restlessness most of the time. But it looked like Jack was going to be around for a while to come, and he was certainly intriguing. If nothing else, it was fun to watch Ramon uncomfortable, for whatever reason.

Dinner passed amicably enough. Hector and Ramon did most of the talking in the end, they discussed politics and the recent uprising among some of the guerrilla outfits in the region. They seemed to be worried about the security of some of their product that passed through the jungle. Claudia only half-listened, it wasn't as though they were asking her opinion on the matter anyway. Instead, she watched Jack, who was sitting opposite her. He didn't so much as glance in her direction, even as he ate he was totally focused on what was being said – he seemed to be absorbing every detail and thinking it over. Occasionally he'd ask a question…but on the whole, he just listened. The more she watched, the more she wondered about him. He sat angled slightly away from Ramon and didn't look at him often, but it seemed to be unconscious and not planned.

If she was honest, a couple of things about him bothered her. The first one was that he was good looking, and interesting and a change from the normal routine of things. He seemed intelligent, which she had kind of got from him before – and also, she was surprised that he was quiet and not forceful and not an asshole macho man, like so many others were. He was confident but not arrogant. The second thing that bothered her was that he seemed totally oblivious to her presence and her gaze on his face. She wasn't used to being ignored and she wasn't sure she liked it. All in all, dinner was a confusing experience for her and it left her with a vague feeling of worry.

Jack was glad when it was over. The conversation had been interesting to listen to and he felt like he learned quite a lot of useful information about the region. The thought that had seeded earlier had begun to grow and he decided that once he worked a few things out, he'd take it to Ramon. Maybe it could be planned for after the visit by the Saudi Arabians.

He took his leave and walked back to his place, mulling things over. He wasn't looking forward to trying to sleep, but he was exhausted. He spent a brief few moments trying to figure out Ramon, then let it drop. There was no way of guessing what the problem was but knowing Ramon, he'd probably spill it soon enough anyway. He also spent a few moments wondering why Claudia had spent the entire evening staring at his face, but there was no answer to that one either. He sighed as he climbed into bed. There were never any answers here, just questions that went on and on and on. He was starting to wish that there could be one solid thing that he didn't have to question, anything would do. That way he could return to it and not worry about everything else that swirled around and made him confused.

He stared at the ceiling and sleep wouldn't come. It hardly ever did.


	18. Cum Tacent, Clamant II, II

Chapter II

Ramon sat alone in his study, something that didn't happen often. He usually preferred to be surrounded by people but not at the moment. Hector had taken Claudia for dinner in the only town for miles and Jack was doing whatever he did when he was alone. He had no idea what that might be, and got annoyed when he found himself wondering. He shook his head. Who cared? He'd be up here in a while anyway.

He sighed and remembered that there had been a call earlier that he should return. He picked up the phone and called his wife. That was another thing that didn't happen very often, and that was the way they both liked it. Still, it meant that he didn't have to put up with seeing her so he did it. She probably wanted more money.

Not this time though. At least, she didn't ask right away. She wanted the two eldest sons to come and stay with him until after Christmas. He said yes, not caring. Maybe they'd show some potential this time but he doubted it. Regardless, it kept things civil and he hung up only mildly exasperated. Then he found that there was nothing to do. He hated that. He bored easily and didn't like not having anything in the works. But things seemed to be changing around here and he wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because the workload was now shared three ways – but no, it couldn't be that. Jack hadn't been given much to do yet – because there wasn't a great deal _to_ do. Operations were running smoothly, Hector was keeping his men on a tight leash. There were no conflicts with other cartels at the moment, everyone was respecting distance and there had been no security leaks recently, Charlie had been caught before any damage was done. The move had gone with well-practised ease, they moved quite a lot so everyone knew what to do. The week in Mexico had been fun but it was over now, and they were back to work – except that there wasn't a great deal of work to be done, and he was bored.

Of course, there were the Saudi Arabians. They'd be here tomorrow. But he wouldn't have a lot to do with them personally, not yet anyway, so there wasn't much excitement to be had there. He sighed again. Maybe this was why he'd spent so much time wondering about the American. There was nothing else to do. He had to admit that he'd been noticing the boredom ever since they'd got back from Mexico – and it was probably because he didn't have the constant conundrum of Jack in his mind. Well, he kind of did, but it wasn't the same. The man had proved himself, he was trustworthy, now he would work. That was all there was to it – he no longer had to force drugs on to him or lock him up or test him…it had been entertaining. And now it was gone, he couldn't do that stuff anymore and that kind of pissed him off.

He got up for a drink. He knew he often felt like this – restless, irritable, caged – and it passed eventually. But it was horrible in the meantime and being alone only exaggerated the feeling. He wanted to break something, or someone, to let his boredom turn to anger until it had all flowed away and left him clean again. Well, he could if he wanted to. There were any number of men around for him to take his temper out on and it did them good to keep them off balance. Maybe later. He had to talk to Jack first. The thought of talking about business didn't really please him tonight but it had to be done, and whatever else he was, he was a businessman first and foremost. That was what he liked to think anyway.

* * *

Jack raised his arm slowly and checked his watch. He sighed when he realised that he had to get moving. Ramon was expecting him at nine, that gave him ten minutes to get his ass off this couch and up to the house.

He dropped his arm but didn't move. He was tired, as he always was, but sleep wouldn't come even though he'd been trying to doze for a couple of hours now. No matter what he did, nothing worked. He didn't feel anything. The anguish had disappeared, the stress with Ramon wasn't bothering him, there wasn't a lot of work to do. He just couldn't sleep. Every night he went to bed and stared at the ceiling for hours and although his mind felt switched off, his body wouldn't allow his eyes to stay closed. The more frustrated he got, the less chance he had of stopping it. He had to snap out of it soon, his head was filled with a near-permanent fog and that could only be a bad thing.

He dragged himself off the couch and walked outside, lighting a cigarette as he went. The warm night surrounded him, only serving to heighten his tired cocoon. He was dimly aware that the air had a sweetness and he vaguely wondered whether being outside might help him to sleep tonight, its warmth and freedom might help. Might be worth a shot.

The main house stood before him, quiet like a dormant animal in the dark. There was none of the usual activity, no one going in or out, no people around at all. The men were all housed further away on this ranch and he could hear nothing in the stillness. The only indication that Ramon was here was a dim light in one of the downstairs windows. There was no sign that Hector or Claudia were around. Maybe they were out. His stomach clenched slightly. If they were, that meant that he would be alone with Ramon, properly alone, with no chance of interruption. _What if he wants…_? He shook his head and threw his cigarette away as he trailed up to the front door. If he did, he did. He'd try and think of a way out of it but ultimately, he would do what he had to. That thought was strangely comforting – didn't he always do what was necessary? It was just another action and he wouldn't allow himself to worry about it. With that thought, the vague feeling of anxiety went away and he sank back into his dream-like fugue.

His knock was answered with a distant 'Come on in' from somewhere in the depths of the house. Jack was vaguely weirded out by the darkness of the reception hall – why were all the lights off? He wandered off towards the gleam from under the door at the end of the hallway, trying not to run into anything. He'd never seen the place this dead before.

He knocked on the door when he reached it and got a testy 'For Gods sake, just come in Jack,' in reply. That, at least, was normal. Ramon had been in a bad mood for a couple of days now and it wasn't hard to see that eventually, something would give. He wasn't the type of man that could hold his emotions in – someone would be on the receiving end of his hostility pretty soon. He didn't worry about whether it would be him or not. If it was, it was.

He entered the room and saw Ramon straight away, he was fiddling with some bottles at the drinks cabinet in the corner. He could see that his assessment of his mood had been correct – he was the picture of pent-up energy over there. It came off him in waves and Jack felt instantly more awake as it enveloped him and filled the room.

'Evening Ramon.'

He didn't get a reply, just a jerk of the head that indicated he should sit down. He moved to an armchair next to the coffee table and didn't speak again. Ramon finally chose a bottle and brought it over with a couple of shot glasses. He set them down on the table and filled them, passed one to Jack and knocked his own back without waiting. Jack followed his lead and they were both instantly refilled. _Well, if he wants to get trashed, I'm OK with that._ The tequila was strong and it livened him up further.

'Your computer is over there.' He looked over to where a laptop sat on the sideboard. 'There's a phone point in your room if you want the internet. And you'll need to move in before lunchtime, the Arabians will be here in the afternoon. Make sure the house is tidy before you leave it.'

Jack wondered if that was all and whether he should go now that this information had been imparted. Ramon answered by filling his glass for him again. He mentally shrugged and knocked back the shot. It wasn't as though he had anything better to do.

Ramon eyed Jack as he lifted his glass again. He kind of hoped that Jack would say something to piss him off, just so he had an excuse to start a fight or something. But as usual, Jack didn't say anything at all. He wondered what was up with him now – there always seemed to be something. He looked like he was about to pass out or fall asleep right there in the chair. He was white underneath the tan, his eyes were red and puffy and everything about his posture spelled exhaustion. Ramon wondered if he had got hold of some drugs or something, he didn't look healthy. And he had no patience for this tonight.

'What's the matter Jack? You look like shit.'

'Nothing's the matter Ramon.'

He was shaking his head, looking even more irritated. 'Have you seen yourself? You look like a zombie. Stop with the macho crap and spit it out.'

There was an uncomfortable pause and Jack shifted in his chair while Ramon took another shot. He stared at the full glass in Jack's hand – he got the hint and drank so that it could be refilled. He was glad that he'd eaten tonight, he'd be buzzing already if he hadn't. And Ramon wanted an answer…he was too tired to tell anything but the truth.

'I haven't been sleeping much.' He hated admitting it but what else could he say?

'Why not?'

'I don't know. Things seem pretty quiet at the moment, maybe that's why.'

He seemed satisfied with the answer. 'Well, I wanted to talk to you about that too. I want you back training the men from the day after tomorrow. Carlos has been working with them but he doesn't have your expertise. And our visitors are here to learn the sort of things that you can teach them – you'll have a couple of weeks to knock them into shape. They're kids apparently, so don't expect too much but they have to go back better than when they came, OK?'

'Sure. Do you do this often? Allow visitors I mean.'

He shrugged. 'Not too often. There are enough militia training camps in the middle east after all. But our associates sometimes want our help with it – mainly because they don't want new recruits to be spied on by foreign agencies who have their camps on satellite images. Or maybe they're going to start a new cell in the US after they leave. I don't care – they pay me to take them, so I do. We also get a more favourable rate on transporting our product through that region, it gets protected by our friends.'

'That's not all though is it?'

Ramon snapped his eyes up to meet Jack's. 'What makes you say that?'

'Well, those guys are probably coming through the US to get here. It's a risk – if they act suspiciously, they'll lead the authorities straight to us. There has to be more in it for us than just money and protection.'

Ramon stayed silent for a long minute and his eyes bored into Jack. He stared back impassively, not caring if he'd angered him. He was supposed to be finding stuff out about these guys so he had to push a bit. Eventually though, the man looked away and went back to pouring more shots.

'Yes, there's more to it than that. They're bringing some information with them, something I want. It has to be brought in person for security reasons, but it could be a big deal for us. We'll talk more about it after they arrive.' He fell silent and Jack processed this new twist. Obviously he wanted to know what was going on but the best play now would be to wait and see what Ramon decided to tell him. He could always push it then, there was no point in seeming overly interested right now.

'OK.' He felt like leaving now. The drinks were making a veil fall over his eyes and the heat in the room made him drowsy. It was comfortable here and the darkness outside made the small room cosy in a way. Of course, that was the last word that could be used to describe Ramon – but the guy had had an opportunity to get mad at him a couple of times now, and hadn't, so he obviously wasn't pissed off at _him_. He wondered what else was bothering him, but didn't ask.

'Hector is going back to Mexico tomorrow afternoon. I want you to drive him to the airstrip. The Arabians will be arriving at three and they need to be met by someone with authority. The two of you can do that, then he'll head off and you can bring them back here. Also, I need you to talk to the pilot. Tell him that after he leaves Hector off, he needs to be in Bogotá by lunchtime of the next day.'

'Any particular airfield?'

'He'll know that. Tell him that two of my sons will be meeting him – he knows what they look like, he's been with me a long time.'

Jack was taken aback. He knew that Ramon had other kids but for some reason, he'd never thought about the possibility of meeting any of them. He remembered what he'd said about them before – that he'd purposefully never got close to any of them after the death of his first one.

'Sure, that's no problem.' He hesitated. He didn't know if any personal talk would be welcomed but decided to chance it. 'How old are they?'

Ramon looked at the table and seemed hesitant. 'Sixteen and fourteen. They're the two eldest of the ones I have left.'

Jack noticed that his demeanour changed slightly when he said that and wondered whether the man was happy they were coming or not. 'Are they going to stay long?'

'Until after Christmas. About a month. I haven't seen them in a year, they live in Bogotá with my wife.'

He was surprised again. Obviously Ramon had to have a girlfriend or a wife to have had kids at all, he'd just never thought about it. There was nothing in his files about a long-term partner and he certainly didn't act like a man that had any attachments. _He doesn't act like he cares about anyone, maybe that's why this is weird._ 'Oh. I didn't know you were married.' He'd said it without thinking and cringed slightly when he found he'd spoken out loud.

Ramon let out a long breath and sank back into the cushions of the sofa. Some of the energy seemed to leave his body and his eyes lost some of their glitter. 'Yes of course I'm married. I have been since I was eighteen. I don't see her any more though, she's a pain in the ass.' His tone of voice didn't correlate exactly with his words and Jack felt that maybe he shouldn't be prying into this.

'I'm sorry Ramon, it's none of my business.'

He was waved into silence. 'It's no big deal Jack. I lost her when our son was killed, it was a long time ago now. We had more children of course but…' He didn't know why he was sharing this information. It seemed safe to do so though, he knew Jack would understand. And he was in a strange mood, he needed something to do and in the absence of some action, talking over drinks was as good a substitute as any. He let himself relax slightly.

Jack wished he'd never asked. He didn't want to be reminded of his own real life right now, the boundaries were blurred enough. And he certainly didn't want to start identifying with Ramon on a personal level. He ignored the small voice that pointed out that he already did, he had done for a while now and that people who killed gratuitously were all alike anyway. He knocked his shot back and held out his glass for another, trying to silence the rogue thoughts that wouldn't leave him alone. Ramon took the glass and refilled it. When he handed it back, one of his fingers brushed Jacks and he saw the man flinch slightly. He laughed to himself. _So he's worried about a repeat of Mexico, eh? Well…not tonight Jack. Unless I change my mind of course…_ But he knew he wouldn't. He'd got over his feeling of being freaked out by what had happened by employing his usual method – ignoring it until he found a way to justify it to himself. Then it went away. This time he'd told himself that it was the victory he'd enjoyed so much, seeing Jack submit the way he had was what did it for him. He believed it now too, he was not a man that questioned his own mind. He wondered briefly about whether he _would_ take him again but found himself shying away from it. If he'd been honest with himself, he would have seen that his excuses didn't bear up under scrutiny – as it was, he just told himself he wasn't in the mood.

He stood up and walked over to the drinks cabinet, where he grabbed handfuls of glasses. Might as well do it properly. He brought them back to the table, set out eight each and filled them all. Then he left the bottle between them and sat back. Making a night of it seemed like a good idea right now.

Jack watched him and realised that he wasn't going anywhere for a while. And he'd have to talk about whatever Ramon wanted to talk about to, that was just the way it was. He found he was OK with it. Might be better than lying alone in bed and trying to shut down. Alcohol would help.

'Tell me about your son Jack. Terry wasn't it?

_Great…_

'Uhh…what do you want to know?' Lying about a non-existent boy wasn't the hard part. The hard part was being convincingly upset about something that hadn't happened. He was aware that Ramon was watching him, so he looked down and fiddled with the rim of a shot glass.

'What was he like? Did he take after you?'

He injected a note of strain into his voice while his mind wondered what all this was about. 'Yeah he did. He looked a lot like me. And he loved sports and books, just like I did when I was a kid.' Obviously this had been triggered by the imminent arrival of Ramon's sons – but it could be dangerous. Jack knew that things could easily shift onto shaky ground with this man – and if talking about his 'dead son' hit too close to the mark with Ramon, who knew what might happen? He wasn't a guy that would take kindly to having any perceived vulnerabilities exposed…he'd retaliate. And physically, that didn't matter so much – it was the effect it would have on their working relationship that bothered him.

'You liked books?' Ramon laughed and seemed not to believe it. Jack was glad that his cover copied his own life academically, apart from the Masters degree that was.

'Yeah I did. I got my degree in English Lit.'

Ramon stared at him, openly surprised. _How many more ways can this man blindside me?_ 'Really? Why did you choose that subject?'

Jack shrugged. 'I was good at it. I enjoyed it and it was easy. The Army didn't care what my academic qualifications were in so I thought I might as well do something that I knew I'd pass without too much effort.' That wasn't true but it was something that Michaels would probably think.

Ramon laughed again 'Well, I never had you figured for the intellectual type Jack.' He didn't know why this information was so weird for him – except that it didn't seem to fit at all with the man that sat in front of him. But then, perhaps it would have been strange if Jack _didn't_ didn't surprise him now, he should be used to it.

Jack finished off his shots and poured more for both of them. He wanted the conversation turned away from him. Bu it would seem weird if he changed the subject completely so after only a small hesitation he asked, 'What are your boys like?'

Ramon's face darkened instantly. He snorted and looked away. 'Mama's boys, both of them. I don't know why they bother coming here. They hate me and I have no time for them.'

He didn't know why he pushed it, but he couldn't seem to stop himself. 'Don't you want them living with you? And…do they know what you do?'

Ramon glared at him. 'Yes, they know what I do. Their mother told them. And I don't want them here – unless they show some potential at maybe getting some guts. If they ever do, they'll be allowed to stay. Until then, let them keep going to their fancy school and pretend as though its not paid for by crime…'

He broke off and Jacks mind reeled slightly. Ramon sounded pissed off and… _venomous_ even – towards his own blood. There was obviously something more to this but he was fairly sure that he didn't want to know what it was. He reminded himself for the hundredth time that he was here because of Ramon's business dealings. Yes, he had to get to know the man in the meantime and gain his trust – but he'd done that and yet, he still seemed to be caught in this strange vortex of Ramon's life. It seemed like every time he spoke to him, he found another layer to the man…he didn't want to know any more. It was starting to feel like he would never get free of this – maybe it was because he was tired and his mind was sluggish, but he was suddenly assaulted by images of being stuck here forever, never being allowed to leave Ramon's embrace, forever condemned to a life that was permanently entangled with his…

And what was truly frightening, was the realisation that it had been a while since he had even thought of LA. Or Kim for that matter. Jack felt his skin break out into goose bumps when he explored that thought a little further…when he got up in the morning, what was the first thing he thought about? Ramon. Plans for the day. Business. Meetings with middle eastern terrorists. Ramon…

He took another drink. _Fuck, what's going on…_ He flushed as the alcohol suddenly got to him and the heat in the room seemed to rush him all at once. He was tired of feeling this way. He seemed to be in a constant state of 'What the Fuck?' and the lack of parameters for this weird relationship was freaking him out. He didn't know if it was the tequila talking but he suddenly felt an almost overwhelming urge to do something to take back control, fight his way out of this, break free of the madness that was dogging him.

He shook his head and fought back his impulse. He'd come too far to blow everything in a moment of fear. But Christ, he wanted out of this room. He started searching desperately for a way to extract himself while Ramon just drank and stared at the opposite wall. The silence was not uncomfortable between them, but it was uncomfortable in Jack's own head as he sought a way out.

He jumped as he heard a loud bang – the front door had been flung open and crashed into the wall behind it. He was on his feet instantly, ready to defend both of them, instinct taking over. He was dimly aware that Ramon had had the same reaction and they both stood quietly, listening. Then the lights went on in the hallway outside and they both relaxed as the sounds of laughter reached them – Hector and Claudia were back. They looked at each other and grinned, and the atmosphere suddenly became congenial and friendly. Jack wondered what he had been so worried about just seconds before.

Ramon walked to the door and stuck his head out. 'Hector! Come and have a drink.'

Jack noticed that Claudia hadn't been included in the invitation but she came anyway. He remained standing until she had swayed in and sat down, then he retook his seat and refilled all the glasses. Hector slumped on to the couch next to her, clearly quite drunk already. 'What have you two ladies been up to?'

Ramon treated him to a mock glare and casually flung a cushion at him. 'We have been talking Hector, like civilised people do.'

Hector laughed loudly. 'Civilised? You two?' He leant forward and lifted a couple of glasses. He drank one himself but brought the other to Claudia's lips. She smiled at him and let him feed it to her, drinking carefully so as not to spill any. Jack found himself staring at the way her full lips closed around the rim and looked away quickly. Ramon was smirking at his brother and didn't notice. His mood seemed better now, the cheerfulness from the other two appeared to have lifted his spirits.

'We _are_ civilised Hector. Let me give you an example. I have found out that Jack here used to be quite the intellectual. Isn't that right Jack? A degree in literature no less!' He toasted him mockingly and Jack smiled and blushed slightly.

Hector stared and then fell back in laughter. 'You're kidding me!'

Jack just shook his head bashfully, acknowledging it was the truth. He caught Claudia's eye as he did so and was surprised by the look on her face. Instead of her normal calm demeanour, she actually looked surprised and…interested. Like it was news that caught her attention. He looked away and took another drink.

It was strange when the four of them were together like this. He'd noticed it the last few nights when they ate dinner together, which they did almost every evening. Claudia was mostly pretty quiet but she wasn't shy in any way. Ramon and Hector joked around, when they weren't talking about business. He also stayed quiet but joined in sometimes – not as much as he had in Mexico but then, he was pretty sober now. And together, they really were like family. He didn't feel like an intruding outsider at all, he was included, and his presence in the main house was never questioned or denied. He knew that if he said he was hungry right now, he'd be told to go and help himself out of the kitchen. That would never have happened before – and thinking about it made him suddenly realise how close they had all become. He'd never really considered the extent of it before…it had just sort of happened. He should have realised – Hector and Ramon didn't joke around this way when they were in front of any of the regular guys. He only saw it because he was one of them…

Fuck. He really was. At least, they thought so. And the fact that he just had to remind himself that he wasn't what they thought he was…worried him. Other small things too – like the fact that he'd found he liked soccer and had started to think in Spanish.

He decided to test his theory and stood up. 'We need limes for these drinks.'

Ramon glanced up. 'Yes! And salt. Get lots.' He went back to ribbing Hector about being unable to hold his liquor. Jack smiled to himself and left the room, glad that his assessment of their familiarity with him hadn't been wrong. He wandered out into the hallway and headed for the kitchen. It was a large room and the lights were off – he didn't turn them on. He just pulled himself lightly onto one of the worktops for a moment and let his head rest on a wall mounted cabinet. The air was cool in here and it felt nice to be sitting in the dark for a moment. His head was swimming slightly from the drinks and he wanted to get his thoughts together before he headed back.

He had achieved so much in a short space of time. He should be thankful really. But it was hard to feel good about his accomplishment when he considered what he had had to do to get here. Charlie's death was firmly on his hands, and his alone…there would be no escaping that, not ever. But it didn't have to be in vain. He could never make it completely right, but the best way to make sure that it had meaning was to achieve something bigger. He had to stop procrastinating over every little detail. Ramon and Hector liked and trusted him. He had to stop sitting back and being quiet, the way he had recently. If he kept doing that, they'd start to wonder if they'd been right about him. He couldn't just follow orders blindly and be used as another doormat for Ramon's ego – he had to keep proving to them that he was who they thought he was. It was suddenly so clear.

They wanted his knowledge and ability. If he wanted full access to everything they knew, he would have to make a contribution and become as indispensable as it was possible to be, without stepping on Ramon's toes. For example, this information that the Arabians were bringing – Ramon had said he'd talk about it with him when he got it. but there was no guarantees that he'd learn everything – he needed to get into a position that made his opinion the _first_ that Ramon sought out. Hector was busy with his own side of running things, he'd told him that himself.

Jack lifted his head from its resting place and wondered why he hadn't come to this conclusion before. He'd been coasting, he saw that now, and he cursed himself. Too busy wallowing in self-pity. There was nothing he could do about Charlie now – and he had his directive to follow. The one that he and Tony had decided on months and months ago. Why was he worrying about stupid things, like Ramon's mood swings, when he had work to do? He swore and hopped down off the bench. It was time to put everything else behind him. He had to keep going and everything else could be dealt with afterwards. If he had to become best friends with Ramon Salazar in the meantime, that was what it would take and he would do it. _Already done it Jack, admit it…_

The lights were flicked on as he rummaged through a cupboard and he screwed his eyes up. 'You wont find much in the dark.'

'Claudia. Sorry, I didn't hear you coming. Yeah, I thought I knew where the salt was.'

She smiled slightly and moved to the cupboard next to him. He caught a faint whiff of her perfume as she raised her arms and he was suddenly aware of how near she was. He took a couple of steps back. She handed him the shaker and then the bowl of limes from the counter.

'I'm going to bed. You boys have fun…' She turned away with a smirk and Jack was left with the impression that she was laughing at them somehow, as though sitting up and drinking wasn't really a productive use of an evening. He snorted as he headed back to the study. He would have agreed with her not so long ago. But now, it was actually ideal working time for him. And he made up his mind to bring up the idea that had been knocking around his head since his conversation with Hector last week. Now was as good a time as any. He'd been thinking about it and there didn't really seem to be any downside that he could see. It didn't even matter if they didn't go for the idea – the fact that he'd thought about it and brought it to their attention would be enough. They'd see that he was actively looking for ways to help the business and that was the most important thing.

He pushed the door open with his foot and walked into the room that was now hazy with cigar smoke. Hector was sprawled on one couch and Ramon was relaxing in the corner of the other. Both were smoking and they were chatting about Hectors trip to Mexico. The mood was chilled and warm – all of Ramon's earlier tension had left him and it was like looking at a different man. He marvelled at his ability to switch moods in a split-second, it was weird.

'There you are. We thought you'd got lost.' Ramon grabbed a knife out of his pocket and began to chop a lime into segments.

'Nah – that kitchen's a monster. Can't find a thing.' He dropped back into his chair and wasted no time on pouring some salt onto his hand, licking it up and throwing a shot back. Ramon tossed him some lime and he sucked on it hard, relishing the sour taste. He found that now he'd decided to stop being such a drag, he felt instantly more comfortable. It reminded him of Mexico. Shit, maybe he'd be able to sleep again.

'Hey Ramon, I wanted to talk to you about something. It's business though, it can wait until the morning if you'd prefer.'

They both looked at him with evident interest. 'No go ahead. Now is fine.'

Jack took a deep breath, unsure of how this would go across. 'Well…I got an idea when I was talking to you, Hector, last week. And I've been thinking about it and just wanted to see what you both think.'

'Spit it out Jack.' Hector pulled himself upright and reached for the new bottle that Ramon had opened while Jack was out.

'Well – you remember I asked you if we had any rivals in the area? You told me that Montez has a distribution point about a hundred miles away.'

Hector shrugged. 'So?'

'Well, I'm assuming that the area around it is his territory, right? He'll be supplying to the local towns.' He got two nods. 'Well – why don't we take it out? That ranch I mean.'

Ramon and Hector looked at each other with blank expressions. Then Ramon pulled at his cigar with a small laugh. _I love how you throw that idea out like it's no big deal Jack, you've sure got guts…_ 'Because it would start a war. Not that that worries me – but if I'm going to start one, I'd want it to be over something a lot bigger than that.'

Jack shook his head. 'No no, sorry, I didn't explain properly. Hector, you told me that it was a pretty major base of operations for him, right? So straight away, its worth getting rid of, because its taking business away from us. But if its not big enough to start a war over – then we let someone else take the credit.'

He had another drink and knew he had their interest. Hector raised his eyebrows to prompt him. 'There's no one else in this part of the country Jack. He'll know it was us.'

'No he won't. Not if we lay the blame elsewhere.' He put his empty glass down. 'This is what we would do. We'd need to get an idea of the layout of the place and how many people are there at any given time. Then I'd take a small team in and lay enough explosives to cripple the place. We don't need to steal what they've got there or kill the people – the object of the exercise is to take out the venue so they can't use it. It'll put enough of a dent in them so that hopefully we'll have enough time to take over the distribution in the towns around that area.'

'But they'll still think it's us. Who do you want to blame for it?' Ramon looked intrigued. He was chewing on the end of his cigar and staring at Jack.

'What would usually happen in a situation like this? Would they contact you to accuse you of doing it? Or would they just retaliate?'

'It depends. Last time we did something like that, they just tried to hit us back. It didn't work.'

'Well, this time they wont. I'll leave some evidence behind – they'll think it was a sting from a special ops force.' Ramon and Hector exchanged another look.

'What are you talking about Jack?'

'Listen, I know a lot of people. Guys that used to be military, like me. I've been working with them for years in Iraq. But there's others there, ones from all over the place. It wouldn't be hard to find someone who could sell us equipment that's known to be used by…well, anyone you want. Every army has a preference in the types of weapons and kit it uses. Its besides the point anyway – all we'd have to do is make sure that the operation is carried out in a way that's nothing like the way you normally do things. That'll give them enough doubt over who the perpetrator is. Then they'll find whatever I leave behind and when they're wondering if it was us or not – you call Montez Ramon. Tell him that you heard about it and wanted to make sure he knows you had nothing to do with it and that you have no interest in disturbing the peace you've both stuck to for the last five years. It'll be the last thing he's expecting. I mean, normally you'd take credit for it whether you did it or not, right? But not this time. That'll throw him, he'll think he was targeted covertly and that'll also make him wary about setting up there again. It leaves the area free for us to take over.'

He sat back and took another drink while he waited for them to think it over. It didn't take Ramon long to respond. 'So…we sneak in there and take the place out. Destroy everything. Then we leave evidence that it was a special forces raid…why special forces by the way?'

'Two reasons. One – if it was a normal bust, they'd expect people to be arrested and the drugs to be confiscated. Obviously, we cant do that. Two – I know how to run these things and make it look real. I was in on a few of them when I was with Delta.'

'OK…then I call Montez and tell him that I had nothing to do with it. Assuming he believes me, he's going to be very pissed that I'm taking over that area though. It's part of his agreed territory.'

'Yes, but he'll think that it's now known to the authorities as being his. He's not going to want to touch it – he'll think you're crazy for moving in there after that's happened and should be more than happy to allow you to assume the risk. And anyway, all the stuff he was moving through there into other parts of the country – he'll just move those through somewhere else. It's only really the distribution to the surrounding towns that he'll be losing out on and he'll see that as a small price to pay for safety. We gain that territory, take out a bunch of his supply and put a large – albeit temporary – dent in his operation. Not bad for a night's work.'

The room was quiet for a few long moments. Both of them seemed to be thinking hard and Jack didn't interrupt. It didn't really matter if they went along with it or not – it was just important that he appeared to be thinking about these things. But he figured they'd go for it. There would be a lot of details to be worked out of course, but they had time, there was no rush. _Say yes Ramon, come on, you know you want to…_

It was Hector that broke the silence. He seemed to have sobered up under the weight of the discussion. 'It sounds like a good plan to me. Even if we don't do it straight away, its something we can keep in mind. I'd prefer it if we stole the goods though – I mean, if it would be destroyed anyway, they wont know whether its been taken or just gone up in flames.'

'Well, it would add complications to the raid – but we can work it out. This was just an idea, we can take our time and talk it through.' Hector smiled at him and nodded slightly, Jack knew he was on board. They both turned their eyes to the man that had to give the final OK. He took his time about answering, but eventually,

'Yes. I think it's a good idea too. Definitely something to work on. Things have been too quiet around here anyway recently, its about time we livened it up.' _And how did you know that I was bored Jack? It was only a few hours ago that I was wanting something to happen and then you come out with this…how did you know…?_

Jack grinned and poured another shot. He drank it quickly and felt better than he had in weeks. It was nice to have something to focus on again. Ramon stretched and Hector yawned – by mutual agreement, they all silently acknowledged that it was late and there was work to be done in the morning.

Hector stood up first. 'I'm going to bed. We can talk about this more in the morning before I go, yes?'

The others stood too and Ramon stubbed his cigar out. 'Yes, we'll get together for breakfast. Be here at nine Jack. We'll discuss it and see if we can work out when it'll happen. Then Jack and I can knock it into shape while you're away. I'll keep you informed.'

Hector nodded and left the room with a quick 'See you tomorrow,' to his brother and Jack. Jack was about to follow him out when a hand on his arm stopped him.

'It's a good plan. I'm glad you thought of it.' He looked up into Ramon's eyes, scared of what his intentions might be. But he saw nothing there except sincerity. 'We need things to do otherwise we get stale, I know you understand that concept. So we'll talk about it some – just don't forget that we have the Arabians too. I'll need to discuss that more in depth with you after I've seen them tomorrow. There's something I think you'll be able to help me with.'

'OK Ramon. I'll be back with them by five anyway and you know where to find me.'

Ramon smirked and dropped his hand. 'Yes I do.' He walked to the door. 'Let yourself out Jack, I'll see you for breakfast.'

Jack waited a moment after he left. There were three shots left on the table, so he drank them, hoping that they'd help him sleep. But he doubted it – his mind was buzzing. He left the house and lit a cigarette when he got outside, once more enjoying the fresh air on his skin.

_Well Charlie, I hope they go for it man. Because yes, it'll make them slightly more powerful…but you know I'm here to bring them down. And when they fall, that'll be a bit more territory that falls with them. I know its not much, but it's the best I can do right now man…_

He knew he was drunk and not making a lot of sense, even to himself. But hell, it made him feel better. He was furthering his own mission, trying to get into a position where they couldn't be without him. Or at least, relied on him heavily. Reminding himself that he had killed a man that was also trying to bring Ramon down was painful – they had just been coming from different angles…but it was done now. The least he could do was make it worthwhile. He weaved slightly as he walked, the fresh air making him feel more drunk - and he wondered whether he would still feel better in the morning. Something told him that Charlie wouldn't give a rat's ass what he did now, he was still dead and no amount of fallen drug lords would help his kids grow up without a father. He pushed the thoughts away as he pushed his front door open. No. He wouldn't think about it. He wanted to sleep now and thinking like that would not help.

He pulled his clothes off in a daze and collapsed into bed. He was doing the right thing wasn't he? He thought of Charlie's wide blue eyes, the way they'd been so scared and broken right at the moment that he knew he'd been blown…Jack opened his eyes and felt his good mood disappear. _You're right man…maybe no amount of fallen drug lords is worth that. But its done now and I've just got to get on with it…I'm so sorry man, I'll find a way to make it right, I promise..._

But he knew that he was drunk and in the morning, he'd probably have to acknowledge, yet again, that there was no way he could ever keep that promise.


	19. Cum Tacent, Clamant II, III

Chapter III

Jack wandered into the main house without knocking on the door, just because he knew he could. A slight headache throbbed behind his eyes, remnants from the night before. It wasn't too bad though, breakfast and some water would fix it up. There were some noises from upstairs, people moving about, so he headed for the kitchen to wait on them. He was a bit early because he'd woken up at dawn – the alcohol had knocked him out but it wasn't enough to keep him asleep all night. Still, he felt better and livelier than he had in a while, which was good because today would be busy.

He paused at the entrance to the kitchen – Claudia was there already, standing at the refrigerator with her back to him. She was getting things out for breakfast and he watched quietly for a moment as she hummed along to the radio, completely oblivious to his presence. He wondered how he had never really noticed her before these past few days – she'd been around and he'd talked to her, but he'd never thought anything of it. Now she seemed to be everywhere. Perhaps it was just because he was seeing more of Hector at the moment, and she was with him a lot of the time. He had to admit, she was a beautiful woman.

He retreated back down the hallway as soon as he had that thought, then re-entered the room, making some noise so she would hear him. He couldn't think of her that way. Yes, she was beautiful, but she was with Hector and that was the end of that.

'Morning Claudia.'

'Morning Jack. You look to be in better shape than the other two. Did you have a good night?'

He grinned at her and she was struck by the blue of his eyes. 'Yeah, it was fun actually. And I think Hector got a good head start on us anyway, he's bound to be feeling it.'

She smiled back and slid him a glass of OJ down the counter. 'He'll be alright. He'll be down in a minute, he's just calling a few people in Mexico. Want do you want for breakfast?'

_Pancakes, french toast, sausage, bacon, doughnuts…anything American would be good..._ 'Do you always do the cooking?'

She shook her head. 'No, normally we have someone to do it. But not here. Well, Lucia cooks for the workers but I look after the family. I don't know how long we'll be here – and I don't mind anyway. You didn't answer my question.'

'Oh sorry…whatever the rest of you are having is fine. I'm not bothered.' He watched her expression turn to bemusement. 'What?'

'Oh I don't know Jack. You never seem to take very good care of yourself. You get beat up a lot, you drink, you don't care what you eat, or even if you do at all…have you always been this way?'

He looked at her with a smile in his eyes. 'Have you been watching me Claudia?'

A small blush immediately covered her cheeks, she dropped her eyes and turned away slightly. Jack cringed and wished he hadn't said anything, even though he didn't mean anything by it. He didn't know what to say to relieve her embarrassment so he just answered her question as though he hadn't seen her reaction, conscious that his face had gone a bit red as well.

'Yeah, I've always been that way. Since the Army anyway…they teach you not to care too much about stuff like food. You eat what you can, when you can, doesn't matter what it is.' She looked relieved that he'd ignored her blush. 'I landed on my feet here though, you're a great cook.'

'Thank you. An omelette OK then?'

'That'd be great, thank you.' He picked up his OJ and gestured towards the table, indicating that he was going to sit down. 'I'm gonna…unless you need a hand?'

'No no, go ahead. Like I said, they won't be long. There's a paper over there.'

His smile was cute and lopsided as he left her alone, and Claudia was angry at herself for even noticing it. But she couldn't help glancing over as at him as he sat and read the front page of the newspaper. He looked a lot better than he had when she first met him, his already blond hair was bleached golden by the sun, the tan on his skin stood out starkly against the white T-shirt that hugged his strong arms tightly. You'd never know it to look at him that he was capable of doing the things he had done – she knew that he had tortured Charlie to death, and had witnessed him beating the man up two weeks before that. She'd watched as he'd turned into a blaze of raging fury and had callously beaten the man to a pulp with his bare fists…he'd been frightening. He reminded her of Ramon in a way – except that when Ramon got really angry, he turned to ice and the quieter he got, the more you knew that trouble was coming. The ensuing explosion was similar to Jack's though…although Ramon was more likely to use a knife and kill, rather than just beat someone.

Claudia went back to the fridge so that her face would be hidden – she didn't trust that Jack wouldn't be able to read what she was thinking. She had thought that he didn't notice the way she had been watching him, but he obviously had, otherwise he wouldn't have made the comment he just did. But he didn't seem to be teasing her, he actually looked a bit embarrassed to have mentioned it too. He was interesting – had she not seen for herself the way he could be, she never would have thought him capable of what he'd done. And she didn't know why she was even bothering to take the time to think about it – well, apart from the obvious thing that he didn't seem interested in her at all, which was slightly annoying. She knew the power she normally had over men and she liked it – especially liked that guys watched her and knew they would never, ever be able to touch. Hector would kill any man that did, and part of her liked that too. Although…sometimes, when she had a quiet moment, she thought about how much she often hated Hector. He could be so sweet and he adored her…_but not enough to stop screwing every whore that passes his way_. And what she hated most of all was that at one time, she had cared that he was unfaithful. And now, she accepted it as normal. She knew that she was more than a whore to him…but she still felt cheap. Like she couldn't satisfy him completely. But she had stopped bringing it up with him because it just led to fights – and it would never change. _He_ would never change. This was her life, and would be her life forever – until someone killed him, which was inevitable in his line of work. It made her grateful that they weren't married…as soon as they did, she would be expected to have children. And she didn't want kids that wouldn't have a father…she sighed. He would propose eventually and she would say yes and that would be it. It wasn't as though he would let her say no after all…

Her reverie was interrupted by his arms going around her waist and his lips being pressed into her neck. She closed the fridge door and smiled. As she turned to kiss him, she found herself hoping that Jack was watching.

'Finished your calls baby?'

'All done.' He locked his arms around her lower back but leaned away so he could stare down into her eyes. She smiled up at him.

'I'm going to miss you.'

He grinned and the boyishness of his face was never clearer. 'It's only two weeks. It'll be gone before you know it – and anyway, it'll give me the chance to find you a wonderful Christmas present.' He leaned in for a kiss.

'Mmmm….what are you going to get me?'

He pulled away and tweaked her nose. 'That's a surprise…and now, Ramon is on his way. Will breakfast be long? I'm hungry.'

'No, I'll do it now.' She handed him some OJ. 'Drink this, it'll help your head.'

He kissed her cheek again, smiled and walked away to join Jack. She started cooking, surreptitiously watching the two of them talking. They were friendly and seemed to get on well, enjoying each others company even – and that was quite rare for Hector. He didn't get on well with that many people, because he wielded his power over them and thought everyone, except Ramon, to be below him. But evidently, he had accepted Jack as something like an equal…it was strange. She would have thought that he would feel more threatened by the American. After all, he commandeered much of his brother's attention…_possibly too much for his own liking too…_ and had risen through the ranks extremely quickly. He…

Ramon cannoned into the room, breaking her train of thought. 'Claudia.' He acknowledged her presence cursorily but paid her no attention, which she was glad about. The less time she was forced to spend with him, the better. He walked over to the table and sat down, immediately turning the conversation his way. She looked at him with disgust and went back to the food.

* * *

'I've been thinking about your idea Jack. It's a good one. We'll start looking into the planning of it tomorrow. I'd do it today, but we have to deal with these Arabians. Hector, we'll keep you informed of what we're doing while you're gone.'

'Will you move on it before I get back?'

'I don't know – how long do you think it'll take to work out Jack?'

Jack put his drink down and thought about it. 'Well, normally I could get us ready to go in a week or two. But we'll need to get hold of the equipment and get as good an idea as we can about the layout of the place. I'd rather not lose guys by going in blind, we'll have to find a way to watch them or something.'

Ramon snorted. 'Jack, if we lose men, we lose men. The objective is more important isn't it?'

_Should've known he'd say that…_ 'Well yeah, it's important. I just think that we can do it without losing anybody, and considering the amount of time we've spent training them, it's in our best interests to keep them alive.' He leant back so Claudia could put a plate down in front of him, he caught a look at her face as he did. She had obviously heard what he said because her dark expression changed to one of mild disbelief and surprise. He muttered a thank you, and turned his attention back to Ramon. The guy didn't look convinced by his words and Hector looked unconcerned.

'There are always more men Jack. Lots of people looking for work.'

'Yes, but the ones we have are getting pretty good. If they die, I'll have to start over with a bunch of kids and their inexperience will hurt us if we need to defend this place. I mean, we're going to plant evidence that this raid was carried out by someone else – but if they don't believe it, or decide to blame us anyway then we can expect to get attacked, right? So we'll need to plan for that as well, just in case.'

Ramon still looked sceptical and both he and Hector obviously hadn't considered that they might suffer retribution if it didn't work out perfectly. Ramon picked up a fork and chewed thoughtfully for a minute before speaking. 'Well, I suppose they might try and pay us back if they have any doubt. We've got enough people here to defend the place but I do take your point. We'll work it out later. Now, who do you want to blame for it?'

This was the tricky bit. Jack knew special forces and knew that while mistakes happened sometimes, generally incompetence by the troops in question wasn't part of it. 'Well, there are any number of possibilities there. The thing will be to make it look real, because any evidence left behind on purpose will arouse suspicion if it's done clumsily.'

'What do you mean?'

'I mean that if I leave something behind that looks too obvious, they'll know it was planted. Special forces guys don't just drop a Bergin or a gun – they're trained to leave no trace whatsoever of their presence. So…well, I've got a few ideas on how to handle that. To answer your original question though, the British are probably our best bet.'

'Why? Why not the Americans?'

'Two reasons. The first being – I'm American. Whether or not they know that I'm here, I'm guessing that they'll know you have an American working for you. Therefore, if they've checked me out and know I used to be Delta, it won't be too much of a stretch for them to believe that I can do this. As I said last night, this has to be carried out in a way completely different to how you usually do things.'

'OK, that makes sense. What's the second reason?'

'The British SAS often train in Belize. They do this kind of thing whenever it's required and they're good. It's not a hard thing to imagine that they could have a force in training there at any given time, they usually do, and it's not so far for them to travel. They could easily deploy a squad from the jungle there. Plus, the UK has a policy on drugs very similar to the US. It's not inconceivable that this would be happening with them using American intelligence, although they'll have their own coverage of the area I'm sure.' He started to eat, confident that Ramon would agree. It was a fairly safe plan, he could get British army equipment easily and the country was far enough away not to suffer any repercussions. He'd have to inform Tony of the plan in case anything went wrong. If it did, he would have to explain to the British why mercenaries were impersonating their troops, but that wouldn't be so hard to work out. It was extremely unlikely that something small like this would rouse any international suspicion – having said that, he'd have to do something about satellite coverage.

Ramon looked thoughtful again as he turned the plan over in his head. He didn't know too much about this stuff but he trusted that Jack did. 'How do you know that they won't find out we're impersonating them though?'

'The only way they'll know that is if they're watching at the time of the raid. Which is highly unlikely, because it's not like they'll be expecting it. It's only a small time thing, as far as they're concerned anyway. We'll be masked and won't wear uniforms. It'll only be the hardware that gives us away, and they won't be able to spot that on satellite. And anyway, when Montez figures that it was the Brits, what's he gonna do? It's not like he can invade them or anything. He'll just have to take it on the chin.'

Ramon chuckled. 'Yes, I suppose so. Well alright, we'll go with that then. And now, I have some work to do.' He threw his napkin on the table and stood up. 'Take Carlos with you when you drive to the airfield Jack, talk to him about this. Let Pietro drive the other truck, then the two of them can bring the Arabians back.'

Jack nodded and Ramon left the room. Hector looked over at him as he toyed with his coffee cup. 'You really think this'll work out Jack?'

Claudia had just taken her seat and Jack was very conscious that she was there. Somehow, talking openly about this sort of job seemed weird with her sitting there. She'd never really been around for business talks before. 'Yeah, I can't see it being a problem.'

'Well, your confidence is comforting, I'll give you that. But Montez is no fool and his men won't be pushovers. You'll need to take good people with you.'

'Well, I'll see how ready they are when I start training them again tomorrow. I'll need to test out the Arabians anyway and see how good they are at this stage, so I'll set up a few exercises. That'll give me a chance to see where everyone's at.'

Hector nodded. 'Yes, good. But still – I might go with you when you do it. I'd like to see Montez's place go up in flames…'

Jack bit back the 'no' that threatened to jump out straight away. He kept his face blank while pretending to think about that, all the while thinking of a way to put him off the idea without hurting his pride. It wasn't that Hector wasn't good, because he was – but the risk couldn't be taken. 'Hector, it would be great to have you along. But seriously man, I can't guarantee your safety.' He took in the dark look that immediately fell over the other man's face. 'I know that you can more than hold your own – but if one of the other guys makes a mistake and one of us gets caught…well, what if it's you? They'll kill you and they'll know who was behind it – this place would be attacked straight away and the damage to the business could be catastrophic.'

'But you're so confident that they won't catch you, huh Jack?' He was pissed off and Jack swore to himself.

'Not at all. Anything could happen, and I'm no more immune that anyone else. But the difference is, if I'm caught or killed, it won't affect you and Ramon too much. In fact, you can just say that I had betrayed you and was off trying to stir up trouble on my own. They'd probably believe that, seeing as I'm American. You see? Its safer all round if you're not there, much as I would love to have you watching my back.' He smiled sincerely and Hector loosened up.

'Well, maybe you're right. I'd still prefer if you hold off on it until I get back though. I mean, I could do some sniping maybe, like I did last time…'

Jack nodded and said 'Sure' even though he didn't think he wanted any sniping happening on this raid. He didn't want any unnecessary loss of life at all but he was beginning to see how hard it would be to change the brothers' natural way of thinking. Even though he'd explained that he didn't want this done the way they normally did things – that it was, in fact, imperative that things were done differently – they both seemed set on the idea of killing as many people as possible. It was their natural mindset and it was a barrier that he hadn't really taken into consideration. He'd need to devote some time to thinking of a way to explain things more clearly to them – he'd have time on the drive back from the airfield.

He stood up. 'I've got to go and get my things up here and make sure the house is fit for our visitors. Which room have I got here? Ramon hasn't told me yet.'

Claudia spoke first. 'I'll show you when you come back. It's all ready for you. I moved your computer up there this morning too, you forgot it last night.'

He had too. He swore again, he'd been meaning to email Tony as soon as he got it but he'd gotten drunk instead and totally forgotten. _Great Jack. Just great. Typical of you at the moment, get your head back in the game man…_ 'Thanks Claudia. I'll go and grab my stuff now, I won't be long. What time do you want to leave Hector?'

'It's a couple of hours drive. We'll go about 12:30, just to make sure we're not late.'

He nodded and left the room, wondering if he should call Tony and see whether any suspicious people had been spotted at any of the airports. He was guessing they'd have come in via Atlanta or Miami, but could be way off. They may not have come through the US at all, it was a hell of a long shot. Anyway, he could always try to get photos of them when they arrived and email them back to CTU – actually, it was important that he did. It seemed likely to him that they may be heading off to America to live after they left here, if so, he needed to know who they were, who they were working for and what their plans were once they left.

He decided to hold off on calling in, even though it might not be so convenient for him to do so once he was moved into the main house. It would be more productive to wait, then he could hand over the information about the raid that was being planned. He wanted Tony to let DEA know that it was happening, but had to think of a way to get that across without really saying it. He didn't want anyone to think that he was only planning this due to his guilty conscience.

It was nice though, having some tangible things to concentrate on. He'd woken up feeling better than he had in ages. Now that he'd made the decision to stop procrastinating and just get on with his job, he felt lighter and more focused. Having things to do certainly help and so far this morning, he had been able to keep the thoughts that had been plaguing him at bay. Most of the time anyway.

He walked into the house, expecting to grab his bag that was mostly already packed and head out again. Instead, he found Ramon sitting waiting for him in the lounge. He stopped in surprise and then smiled awkwardly to hide it.

'Ramon. Sorry, I didn't expect you to be here. Everything OK?'

Ramon didn't say anything, he just looked at him with a small leer on his face. Jack felt a slow flush start on the back of his neck. The familiar tension that had been absent recently started to engulf him and he desperately hoped that the redness wouldn't reach his face. The man pulled himself out of the chair carefully and walked over, closing the distance between them slowly. Jack felt like a deer trapped in the headlights of that black gaze but he didn't move. He didn't want to show that he was spooked, even though it took everything he had not to back away.

Ramon looked him up and down and came to a stop, just close enough to be invading his personal space. Jack didn't move, he tried to hold the stare but couldn't resist swallowing slightly. Ramon saw it and laughed softly. 'I really worry you sometimes, don't I Jack?' He stepped a bit closer and Jack could smell his expensive cologne. 'You must think a lot of yourself – you get scared every time I come near you.' He moved slightly to one side but a hand reached out and grabbed his arm. Jack couldn't stop himself from flinching and the blush hit his cheeks as Ramon's laugh sounded out. He removed his hand. 'Do you really think I'm going to jump you every time we're alone? That's pretty arrogant you know. And given your tastes, it's a little hard to understand why it's such a big deal.'

Jack swallowed, remembered to breathe and made his face impassive. 'I'm not arrogant Ramon, and I don't think that. I'm just nervous because we work together and I don't want to make things complicated. That's all.'

'Hmmm. Well anyway, I just came to talk to you about this idea of yours. There was something I wanted to say without Hector in the room.' He was behind him now and Jack was reminded of the hotel room in Mexico, the night he got the tattoo. He took a breath and tried to get a handle on his nervousness. 'It's a good plan and I like that you thought of it. But do you remember what I said to you in Mexico?'

'About you being in charge? Yes, I remember. And I know you are.'

'Well, I just wanted to remind you – after all, you weren't really in a state that is conducive to hanging onto details, if I remember rightly…' Jack felt the leer and his skin crawled at the memory. _On the contrary Ramon…you really think I'd forget anything you said right then? Much as I might like to forget that whole thing, it's not that easy…_ Ramon stepped away from him and Jack let himself relax slightly. His voice lost its predatory undertone and turned to something more businesslike as he moved back to face Jack, at a safe distance this time.

'Also, I mentioned that you might one day turn out to be more valuable than Hector. While I meant what I said, this is not the time to be trying to prove me right. I want to be very clear on that. So, if he asks to go with you on this little raid of yours, you are to tell him no. He likes the action, but I don't want to risk him getting caught up in it if it goes wrong, you understand?'

Jack stared and it hit him how closely he and his brother must work together. He seemed to know the other man's mind pretty damn well. 'He already mentioned it Ramon and I told him no, for the exact reasons you just said. I don't know if he agrees with me though – I'm sure he'll listen if you tell him.'

Ramon shook his head. 'No Jack. I've decided to hand control of this over to you – it was your idea after all. You'll pick your team, do all the planning, get the equipment. You said you could, so let's see you work. I'm busy with my own things and about to get busier with the information I get from our guests. So this is on you. I want to be kept informed obviously, and you don't move until I give the OK. But other than that, you've got free rein. You are a partner after all, albeit a junior one. As such, it's up to you to deal with Hector. I guarantee, he won't be easy to put off and he'll be angry when you try. So good luck with that.' Ramon laughed again and headed for the door. He stopped when he reached it and turned back. He studied him for a long minute and laughed when Jack shifted slightly under his gaze. 'Stop being such a woman. When I want you like that, I'll tell you – and believe me, the scared little bitch routine does nothing for me.' Jack blushed again and he laughed even harder. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out a fat envelope which he tossed in Jack's direction. 'Partnership bonus. You'll be getting money in percentages from now on, on a monthly basis. That should keep you right until then. I'll have some things for you at the house tonight so don't be late back – but for God's sake, stop by the town on your way back and pick up some more clothes and stuff. You're like a bum living out of that tiny bag. You're with us for life now Jack, better get used to the idea. Buy yourself some things. Get some new clothes. I'd tell you to buy a couple of women if you weren't such a prissy bastard…'

His laughter lingered in the air and rang in Jack's ears long after he'd gone. He didn't move. He was embarrassed, and angry at himself for being so. After all, he knew that he hadn't voluntarily slept with Ramon, well…in a way he had, but…

_Shit Jack, you didn't stop him and you ended up asking for it._ He purposefully hadn't thought much about that night but couldn't really avoid it right then. After all, Ramon had just pretty much told him that he could expect a repeat performance at some time. And – well shit, he didn't like the idea but it didn't make him sick. It _was_ just sex after all and he wasn't homophobic. It was just something that he couldn't really avoid at the moment, Ramon would be angry as hell if he turned him down and once again, the mission weighed on his mind. He couldn't afford to be out of the loop, especially with four potential terrorists about to arrive. One thing he was sure of though – the 'scared little bitch' routine was _exactly_ what did it for Ramon. Of course, if he hid his nervousness completely, then the guy would probably just try to teach him a lesson, so…

He sighed and pulled his fingers through his hair. No point worrying about it. Let it go. He'd try and put it off, but ultimately, it was pretty much out of his hands. He looked down at the envelope to distract himself. It was very thick, so he opened it up and did a quick count. $20,000 in hundreds. He tapped the wad against his hand speculatively. He had gone over the finances with Tony – the budget for this mission had been agreed ages ago. As it turned out, he hadn't had to use much of it because he'd got in so quickly. It had always been the plan that he would live off what he earned – that way he wouldn't arouse suspicion by living beyond his means. And it wasn't as though it was expensive to survive here, all his food and alcohol was provided and that was pretty much all he wanted. And there were very strict rules in place about agents taking money – it was different when you were undercover of course, but still. Any money gained during an operation was turned over to the CTU slush fund or used as evidence or given as a donation to the widows and orphans scheme.

He sighed again, walked upstairs and threw the money into his bag. He'd buy some things, as instructed by Ramon, because it would be suspicious if he didn't. He'd live the way he was expected to. But this money wouldn't be going to the Government or to a scheme where it would be swallowed up. His other earnings could do that. Right now there was one particular widow and her two kids that were never far from his mind and he could hear Charlie's approval as he tried to think of a way to get it to her anonymously. There was no way he could deal with anyone thanking him for it.

* * *

He spent a couple of hours unpacking in his new room, which was large and airy and luxurious and felt like a prison because it was just round the corner from Ramon's. It was definitely going to be harder to operate covertly from here. His laptop got set up and he fired off a quick email to Tony, as if he were talking to his brother about the weather and the women which of course, let him know what cover he should use, a false domain name for the emails and asked him to upload encryption software to him. He didn't know how proficient Ramon was with computers, he'd never seen the man use one so he did everything in his power to keep everything secure. He wiped everything after using it and hoped that would be enough. He'd have to leave some benign information on there in case Ramon checked it out and wondered why the thing was never getting used. At least he could plan the mission on it and that would make it look necessary.

He went downstairs at midday and helped himself to a sandwich. The place seemed deserted and that was fine with him, Ramon's earlier visit had him a little spooked. Then it was time to go and he headed outside where two jeeps were waiting. Carlos grinned at him, then came over and shook his hand. Jack was pleased he was there, he hadn't seen much of him since Mexico, where he'd taken a liking to the young man. He hadn't been at the other ranch, having evidently come straight to this one from Mexico City. Jack didn't ask what he'd been doing, they just chatted about general stuff for a few moments until Hector and Claudia appeared. Both of them appeared a bit red in the face and it wasn't hard to imagine what they'd been doing. Jack looked away so as not to intrude on their goodbye but was surprised when both of them climbed into the back of one of the jeeps. Claudia caught the look on his face and smiled. 'You don't mind if I ride along do you Jack?'

He smiled back and shrugged. 'Of course not.' Carlos got into the passenger seat and Jack slid behind the wheel, he drove because he needed to be sure of the way back. Javier hopped into the one behind and they took off.

It was a pretty quiet trip, long and hot, through beautiful scenery. The Andes were clearly visible in the distance, their peaks capped with snow. The roads weren't great, sometimes nothing more than tracks in the dirt, but the vehicles were made for the terrain so it was easy enough. Jack concentrated on where he was going while chatting to Carlos about baseball, although he found that from behind his shades, his eyes often flicked to the rear view mirror where he could see Claudia clearly, her hair flowing behind her in the wind from the movement of the car. She and Hector were always touching and they looked at each other a lot, smiled often. But he noticed that when she was looking out of the open side of the car, her face was often sad and there was a faraway look in her eyes. He wondered what she was thinking about but her face gave nothing away.

They covered the distance in good time but the plane was still ahead of them and it waited at the small airstrip that stood in the middle of nowhere. Jack wondered why they flew into here, there were any number of places it could have landed closer to the ranch. He guessed that they didn't want the plane to be able to lead anyone back to their property if it was being watched, which made sense. He killed the engine and surveyed the scene – the steps were down but there was no one in sight. The guys were probably waiting inside, out of the heat. Hector jumped out of the jeep.

'Come on Jack, let's do this and…' he broke off as someone appeared at the top of the steps. Jack looked up – it was one of the Arabians. He swore – even though his clothes were regular, the guy was wearing a turban and had the full Islamic beard. He couldn't look more obvious and out of place if he tried. He was young - Jack estimated about twenty one – but was tall and muscular. He stared down at the men by the jeeps with an unhappy expression on his face. Then he called something back into the plane, and three others appeared behind him, all carrying various bags. Then they descended the steps as one. Two of the other three were clean shaven and had nothing on their heads, the other one was dressed almost identically to the first and Jack saw the resemblance – they were undoubtedly brothers.

Hector moved up to meet them and Jack followed. There was a slightly uneasy silence as the groups met, then the first one said in English 'We have been waiting.' He didn't sound happy and Jack could tell that he was the leader of the four – and that he was going to be a pain in the ass. He bit his tongue and let Hector speak. It was alien to hear him speak English, even though he knew he could.

'We're early. We didn't expect the plane until three. I'm Hector Salazar.' He shook their hands. Jack saw that he was friendly but not effusive, everything was done in a businesslike manner. 'This is Jack Michaels. He is the man that will be responsible for your training.'

Four sets of eyes turned to him as he removed his shades and smiled carefully. At least two of the sets burned with something like outrage and his extended hand was ignored. The leader turned back to Hector. 'He is American?'

Jack cut in before Hector could answer for him. 'Yes, I'm American. But I work for Ramon and Hector so…' He didn't get the chance to finish and had to bite back a flash of anger as the kid interrupted him and addressed Hector again.

'We were not told that we would be expected to listen to an American.'

'This is a problem?'

'Of course it's a problem!' Jack was taken with the sudden urge to laugh as righteous indignation flared in the eyes of the kid. _OK, so I'm an infidel. Suck it up. Ramon won't have time for your shit…_ He turned to Hector.

'I've gotta talk to the pilot. I'll be back.' He got a nod and moved away, mentally shaking his head. _Oh well, at least this is gonna be interesting_. It hadn't occurred to him that this would be an obstacle but he was fairly sure that he could overcome it. He'd knock some sense into the kid by force if he had to, but he'd do his job. He had to find out about them and it would be better to hear it from them rather than second-hand from Ramon.

It just took a minute to inform the pilot about his new flight plans but by the time he got back outside, the Arabians were gone. Only Claudia and Hector remained, and they were kissing. He felt awkward as he descended the steps and didn't want to intrude, so he took a seat on the bottom one and lit a cigarette to keep himself busy. After a minute, he heard them whispering something, and then Hector ran and grabbed his bag from the truck and headed for the plane. Jack stood up and let himself be pulled into a rough hug, then Hector let him go and laughed boyishly.

'You're going to have your hands full with those four I think! That one is a real dickhead, but I told him to take it up with Ramon so he should be cut down to size pretty quickly. And now Jack, I am leaving.' He winked roguishly and dropped his voice. 'Going to have my own hands full tonight, you know what I mean?' He laughed and Jack pretended to laugh with him, all the while cringing and hoping that Claudia hadn't heard.

'Have a good time man, I'll see you in a couple of weeks.'

'You too man. You'll be busy – and keep me informed about that job, alright? Don't do anything until I get back.'

_Great._ 'Sure thing. Later.'

Hector waved and was gone, leaving Jack and Claudia alone. He walked over to the jeep where she was waiting and got in without saying anything. She followed suit and he was struck by the fact that this seemed awkward somehow – it never had before. But then, he'd never been on his own with her for a couple of hours and he hadn't been expecting it, so he hadn't thought of anything to say. What did you say to the girlfriend of your partner/boss? Couldn't talk about baseball with her. He elected for the safe option and didn't say anything, just started the engine and headed back the way they had come. He could see the other car in the distance but it soon disappeared over a hill and they were left completely alone.

It stayed that way for about fifteen minutes. Fifteen incredibly awkward, long minutes. Jack was battling with himself, trying to think of something benign to talk about. But he couldn't think of anything and the more he tried, the more tongue-tied he got. At the same time, he could _feel_ Claudia wondering why he was acting this way and that just made the whole situation worse. Eventually she sighed and stopped pretending to stare at the scenery.

'Are you always this boring to travel with Jack?'

He flushed slightly. _Boring_? He cast around for something to say. 'Ummm…no. I just thought maybe you were missing Hector and I didn't want to intrude.'

'Missing him? He's only been gone a few minutes.'

'Oh well, y'know…I thought maybe you'd be thinking about how long he'd be gone or something.' _Smooth Jack, way to sound like a complete idiot man._

She laughed, a deep throaty laugh. 'Believe me, I can survive a couple of weeks without him. I can guarantee that he won't be missing me too much.' She sounded bitter and he swung his head to glance at her. What was he supposed to say to that? There wasn't anything safe, so he stayed quiet, which earned him an exasperated sigh. 'This is going to be an awfully long drive if you don't talk to me Jack.'

She didn't know why she was trying to get a response out of him, but she felt pissed off because she knew Hector was going to be sleeping around as soon as he got to Mexico and it seemed easy to take her bad mood out on this quiet man. It was kind of fun watching him squirm, even though a small part of her felt bad about it.

'Well, what would you like to talk about?' _Damnit, betcha anything she's going to say..._

'Lets talk about you Jack.' _Bingo. Sometimes you really are an idiot man…_

'Well as you just pointed out Claudia, I'm kind of boring. So lets not, huh?'

She stared at him and felt small. He'd done nothing bad to her and here she was belittling him. She almost apologised but bit it back at the last minute and just took in his profile instead. His face was relaxed and she saw that the natural set of it made him look kind of sad. He glanced over at her. 'What?'

'Nothing.' She looked back out at the passing fields. A few more minutes passed in silence and she felt compelled to beak it to make up for what she'd said. 'You were right this morning you know. I have been watching you.'

'I know.'

She looked back in surprise. She hadn't been expecting him to acknowledge it, she'd been expecting him to ask why. Now she couldn't use her carefully planned response to his inquiry. She didn't know what to say – he didn't follow up his dry statement with anything at all, not even a look. She felt a bit embarrassed and didn't like that.

'Don't you want to know why?'

'Not really. Its up to you what you do of course, but you should probably stop it. Hector's bound to notice and give you shit about it. Me too probably.' He closed up. If she wanted to try and play with him, she could go jump. Yes, she was beautiful but he wasn't going to play her games. Let other men fawn over her and try to impress her – he couldn't touch her no matter what, so she wasn't going to get anything from him just because she was pissed at her boyfriend.

She gave in. She hadn't meant to piss him off. 'I'm sorry Jack. I'm just in a bad mood. Lets forget it OK?'

'Sure.'

It fell silent again, and Claudia let it be. She saw that this was the wrong guy to try and push – for a moment there, she'd forgotten that this was someone who killed and tortured for fun. She'd do well to remember who she was sitting next to. All the same, she couldn't stop herself from sneaking the odd glance. His face didn't move once, he didn't acknowledge her presence at all. He seemed to be locked in his own space, completely oblivious to everything – and yet, she had the feeling that he was listening to, and taking in, everything around them. Including her, in some strange way.

Jack saw her looking at him and sighed in his head. What did she want? Maybe it would better if he just talked to her about mindless crap, that at least might direct her attention away from his face. But he couldn't bring himself to bother, there was no point. And he'd been contemplating the Arabians who, it now seemed, were going to be even more awkward to deal with than he had thought. He remembered what Ramon had said that morning, about putting the Montez raid firmly in his hands – if he did the same with these four guys, he'd have to find a way to get through to them that he wasn't some spy or lesser being. If they didn't learn to listen to him, they'd never learn anything and that would be bad all round.

They drove quietly for an hour, then Jack made a turn at a crossroads that took them away from the ranch. 'Where are we going?'

'Ramon told me I had to go into town and buy some stuff. So we are.'

She didn't want to go into town, she wanted to get out of this car and its oppressive quiet. She could see that she didn't have a choice though, and that pissed her off. She fumed quietly for a few minutes before she heard him sigh.

'Look, I'm sorry if you don't want to go. But I have to do this and I won't take long, OK?'

'Whatever.' _How did he know I didn't want to go?_

The town was only a few miles from the crossroads and it was quiet, just waking up from its afternoon siesta. Jack parked on the side of a nearly deserted road, hopped out of the jeep and around to her side, where he opened the door for her.

'It's OK, I'll wait here.'

He looked at her like she was nuts. 'Claudia, it's 110 degrees out here. Plus, I don't like the idea of you sitting here on your own. This isn't exactly a safe place for you, given who you're associated with. You need to come with me.'

She stared and wondered if he was serious. He was kind of chivalrous and that was sweet. But she was still pissed and didn't want to give him the pleasure of being right about this. 'I'll be fine Jack, I can take care of myself. And as for the heat – I like it hot…' The last statement was delivered in a husky drawl and he stared at her in disbelief. _Is she flirting with me?_

He slammed the door shut. 'Fine. I won't be long.' He didn't look back as he walked away. Her attitude annoyed him, and that was weird because…well, maybe it wasn't. It wasn't as though he knew her well or anything. Maybe she acted like this all the time – he had just thought she possessed more sense, that was all. He headed for one of the two clothes shops in town, making a mental list of the stuff he needed. Not too much on this trip, then a quick trip to the drugstore for toiletries and cigarettes, then he'd be done. If she'd been co-operative, he would have got something to eat too but as it was, he knew he couldn't leave her out there for long. He quickened his step and felt the tension rise in him – he almost went back to see if she was alright. _Calm down, she'll be fine…_ She probably would be to…still, he hurried as much as he could. Just in case.

Claudia watched him walk away and wondered what she was doing. Her eyes took in the way his back was completely straight, and yet, he moved with the grace of an athlete. She felt bad about being such a bitch – he was only being nice, even if he did talk like he had a stick jammed up his butt. And it was weird, because he'd never talked that way in front of her before, he'd always been fine. But aloof – and she didn't like aloof. She wanted a response from him and now that Hector was gone, she suddenly felt free to try and get one. Oh, not a _sexual_ one, Hector would kill them both if that ever happened. But just…well, anything. She thought about him as she flopped back into the seat and fanned herself with her hand – and realised that she shouldn't really be surprised. After all, hadn't she seen this same response in Ramon for a couple of months now? She had wondered what it was between them, but suddenly it was easy to see. Jack was not exactly what she expected – obviously Ramon felt the same way and had been trying to find a way through his hard veneer. She wondered if he'd found it, and if he had, what had done the trick…

Jack loaded himself up with four pairs of jeans, a bunch of T-shirts, a couple of pairs of black pants, a few black shirts and a heap of underwear. He didn't try anything on – it would take too long. He didn't know why he was worried but his radar was buzzing and he knew he had to get back to the car. There was probably nothing wrong but he wasn't going to feel better until he saw for himself. He waited impatiently behind an old man at the single cashier's station, cursing silently when he started to count out change on the counter top. It was stifling in the store and beads of sweat stood out on his face and neck, he felt suffocated with the need to leave. He nearly yelled with frustration when the cashier started talking to a colleague as the old man finishing fiddling with his coins and she didn't notice that he was ready to pay. They stood that way for almost a minute before he couldn't hold back any longer.

'Senorita?' She tuned to him with a bored gaze and stared balefully. He nodded towards the old man but she just sneered, obviously not appreciating the interruption of her conversation. _Oh for Chris' sake…_ He rolled his eyes as she didn't move, dumped his things on the counter and made sure that his left arm was turned upwards. He heard the gasp as she saw the tattoo and he raised his eyes to meet her frightened stare.

'This comes to thirty five dollars.' She nodded without checking. He handed her a fifty and inclined his head towards the old man. 'I'll get his stuff as well. Now give me a couple of bags. I'm in a hurry.' She couldn't seem to break her face away from his, but she reached under the counter and grabbed the bags. Jack pulled them away from her and filled them himself, then left quickly, ignoring the stares and the whispers that started as soon as his back was turned.

He broke into a jog, telling himself he was being stupid. But he couldn't help but worry – this town was not safe. He reached the end of the road where the car was parked and looked down towards it…he could see her dark hair in the passenger seat and heaved a sigh of relief. He shook his head at himself and laughed shakily. _Getting paranoid in your old age man…_ Air seemed to return to his lungs and he relaxed. There was a drug store on the next corner over – it wouldn't take long to drop in and get some toothpaste and stuff. He turned and walked away, still laughing at his worry.

Claudia sat and waited, feeling bored. She was almost dozing off in the heat and wasn't at her most aware. So when a voice whispered 'Hey' in her ear, she didn't really think anything of it.

'Jack?'

'No Senorita, your American boyfriend isn't here. I am though…'

Her eyes flew open and her snapped round to look into a grinning face. There were two other grinning faces standing behind it and even though none were familiar, she didn't like any of them. 'Go away.'

'That's not very nice. I just thought you might be lonely sitting here on your own. It's a hot day – you want to come for a drink?'

She stared. None of them were older than twenty five but they were muscled and had tattoos and by the way they stood, they fancied themselves as tough guys. One even chewed on a toothpick as he undressed her with his eyes. She would have laughed in their faces if it weren't for the fact that she was outnumbered and had no idea how long Jack would be. 'No thank you. My friend won't be long.'

'The gringo? Forget about him. What are you doing running round with an Americano anyway? What, your own kind isn't good enough for you?'

She raised an eyebrow. 'Do you know who I am?'

'I know you're a beautiful woman. Come and have a drink…'

'I'm pretty sure I already said no.' She glanced down. His hands were moving over the hot metal of the door and they were going for the lever that would open it. She started to get nervous – there was no one else around and if he opened that door, how would she stop him from grabbing her? She tried to slide her hands to the lock but suddenly, his fingers closed around her wrist and she had to bite back a squeal.

'Don't do that senorita. I'm just being friendly.' His tone was wheedling and he was smiling but his eyes were cold. She wasn't safe and she knew it.

'My boyfriend is Hector Salazar. Take your hands off me – do you want to get killed?' her breathing was shallow and fast and she could feel her fear start to rise. _Where the hell is Jack…!_

They just laughed. 'Well, we saw you arrive with the gringo and have a little disagreement with him. Lover's tiff? I don't think you're Hector Salazars girlfriend senorita. Word is, he has many more than one of them anyway.'

She lost her cool and brought her left hand round to slap him. He moved away and then caught it and suddenly, she had no hands free and his buddy was opening the door…

…she almost sobbed with relief when there was a sudden grunt of surprise and the kids' two buddies hit the floor. He looked round in shock and caught a flash of blonde before he felt his arm break and he was screaming in shock and pain. He was dragged round to the front of the car and there was wetness on the hood as his head was slammed into it and the skin above his eye broke, smearing blood on the red hot metal.

'You're burning me…let me up!' He squirmed to get away from the heat, temporarily forgetting about the pain in his arm due to the more immediate agony on his face. But instead of being let up, there was weight on his back and he was pushed harder into the car. A deep voice growled menacingly in his ear and sent shivers of fear down his spine.

'You're lucky I don't kill you, you fuck. If you ever, _ever_ so much as look at that woman again, I'll rip your head off and hand it back to you on a plate, you understand me? And you're lucking Hector Salazar is out of town right now – but he'll be back. So you've got two weeks to make yourself scare because you _know_ he'll come after you…' Jack slammed the kids head into the hood one more time and dropped the unconscious form to the floor. Then he turned to Claudia who was staring at him, wide-eyed. 'Are you OK?'

She nodded mutely and he nodded back, then walked back up the street to collect his bags from where he'd dropped them. He picked them up, then walked calmly back to the car, threw them behind the drivers seat, got in and drove away, leaving the three kids groaning on the sidewalk. Claudia couldn't stop looking back at them until they rounded a corner and they were hidden from view. She turned her attention to Jack instead.

'Thank you.' He just shrugged. 'You were right, I should have come with you.'

'Well, you will next time.' He lapsed into silence, leaving her in no doubt that he didn't want to talk. She looked at his hands on the steering wheel – the knuckles on his right one had split. She wanted to apologise for that but knew he didn't want to hear it, so she went back to staring out at the scenery, her head swirling.

Jack stared straight ahead and tried to remember to breathe. He was cursing himself with every swear word he could think of. _I **knew** there was something wrong and I went to that fucking drugstore anyway. What the **fuck** was I thinking! She could've been killed – what if they hadn't have been kids? What if it had been Montez's men and they'd recognised her? She'd be fucking held to ransom within the hour and then she'd be killed because Ramon sure as hell wouldn't pay it. Wouldn't pay it for his own son…Goddamnit Jack, pull your head outta your ass and start **thinking** for Christ sakes'…_

The drive back went by quickly. Both of them were lost in their own thoughts. Jack was relieved when he pulled into the driveway of the ranch, glad that most of this day was over with already. It was still about a mile up to the house so he thought he'd better get something straight.

'Look – I won't mention that to Ramon, because he probably won't care, and its up to you if you tell Hector or not. I mean, I wouldn't blame you if you did. I shouldn't have left you alone like that. So – well, do what you have to.'

She could hardly believe what she was hearing. 'Jack, you tried to make me go with you and I refused. It's my fault. And you saved me. So…well, I'd prefer not to mention it to Hector – he'll just be mad at me. And he'll kill that kid if he sees him…he'll be pretty obvious with his arm in a cast and a big burn on his face. But – thank you, I mean it. I'm sorry I was a bitch.'

He just shrugged again. 'You're welcome. I'll keep my mouth shut if you do.'

She wanted to say more but they'd arrived at the house. He looked over at her. 'Would you mind taking my stuff in please? I've gotta take the car down to the barn.'

Claudia looked at him. He was so serious. And he seemed completely unruffled by what he'd just done, it was eerie. Shouldn't adrenaline be causing some kind of reaction in him? But there was nothing that she could see. She nodded and reached over for the bags – and then, on an impulse, leaned over and pecked him on the cheek. A quick whisper 'Thank you,' hit his ear and he froze as she got out of the car and walked into the house.

He shook his head and drove on. This has turned into a fucked up day. he wanted to go and take a long cold shower and then have a few drinks. But no – he had he arrogant fucking Arabians to deal with, and Ramon of course. He sighed and refocused himself but was forced to pull up when he saw Carlos at the entrance to the barn where they stored the vehicles. He was flagging him down.

'What's up?'

'Ramon wants you in the paddock.'

_What the fuck?_ 'Did he say what for?'

'No but…' Carlos hesitated. 'Just be careful, that's all I'm saying man. Those guys that came in – they're not happy with you.'

'Why, what did I do?'

'Nothing – you're American that's all. One of them spoke to Ramon. Just…look, I'll park the car. You'd better go. And look out for yourself.'

Jack didn't understand what the hell was going on but he shrugged and got out of the car. Carlos drove it into the barn and left him alone and he took a moment to wonder what this was about. _Only one way to find out…_ He spat on the blood that was drying on his knuckles and wiped it off on his jeans, ignoring the sting. The he squared his shoulders and walked off, thinking that the day really couldn't get much stranger.


	20. Cum Tacent, Clamant II, IV

Chapter IV

Jack walked over to the paddock, putting all thoughts of what had happened already that day out of his head. Claudia and her weird behaviour melted away, the scuffle with the kids, the upcoming raid…he let it all go. He just concentrated on what was coming next, whatever it might be. It had to be something serious or Carlos wouldn't have looked so worried. But at the same time – Ramon surely wouldn't sacrifice him so easily. Would he? After everything that had happened, he couldn't possibly get rid of him just because one guy showed up out of nowhere and decided he didn't like him. No, it wouldn't be that. If it were, he wouldn't have been told to go to the paddock. He stifled the quiet voice that told him it was the perfect place for a public execution.

And then, something occurred to him. His blood turned cold and he broke out in a sweat. Ramon had been expecting information from these guys – but he hadn't told him what. He'd just said that he'd talk about it with him after they arrived – what if…he swallowed and fought back the wave of apprehension. No, surely four kids from the Middle East wouldn't know about his cover. How could they? _Unless their group captured someone and forced them to talk…_ He forced himself to keep walking. Worrying about it now wouldn't help. There was no escape. He'd just have to wait and see and try and deal with whatever was thrown at him.

He rounded the corner of the track and saw the paddock to the left. Ramon was talking to their guests and there were about fifteen of the guys sitting on the fence. They were obviously all waiting for him. He kept going, refusing to let his mind wander onto possibilities of what could happen. Frederico spotted him approaching and called out to Ramon, who looked up straight away. He had a smile on his face and his eyes were gleaming with excitement. He didn't look angry though. Of course, with Ramon it was hard to tell what any given expression might mean. He could just be excited about the prospect of gutting him with an audience present…_stop it man, thinking like that isn't helping…_

He reached the gate and vaulted over it easily. 'Ramon? Carlos said you wanted to see me.'

'Yes Jack, I do. Allow me to introduce you properly to our visitors.' He waved his hand at the leader, the one who had so obviously had a problem with him. 'This is Arif. His brother here is Hashim. This is their cousin Bahir and their friend Jalal.' Jack nodded to them but didn't extend his hand the way he had at the plane. They didn't look any more pleased about him now that he knew their names either.

'What's going on Ramon?'

'Well you see Jack, it's like this. You've surmised already, I'm sure, that our friends here aren't very happy about taking orders from an American. I've assured them that you are trustworthy but that's not really the problem. After all, your value to our business is not really their concern.' Jack let some of the tension leave him. He obviously wasn't blown.

'So, what's the problem?' He turned to the four. 'Look, I promise you that I respect your religion – you can have all the breaks you need to pray, I wont ask you to shave off your beards…what else do you want?'

Ramon laughed softly. 'No no Jack, you don't understand. Their problem is not what you think of them – it's what they think of _you_. Why don't you explain to him Arif?'

The tall young man turned to him. 'You're American and the very thing we hate most. It would be hypocritical of us to take orders from someone we would like to destroy.'

'So your hatred of America and what it stands for is going to be focused on me? Well, I've got news for you kid…I don't like America much either. In fact, I think it sucks. I've been working in Iraq for the last six years because I hate being there so much. And as you can see, I'm here working for an organisation that America hates – believe me, they'd be happy to put me in prison. So…anything else?'

'I don't believe you can teach us.'

Jack stared at him and wanted to laugh in his face. Ramon was almost exploding with barely concealed mirth beside him and it was kind of infectious. He kept his voice deadpan when he replied. 'You don't believe I can teach you?'

Ramon clapped him on the shoulder. 'And that's why we're here Jack. I thought a little demonstration might be in order. Arif says that he and his friends know how to fight – I thought you could show them that they can't. OK?'

The urge to laugh died and he looked at Ramon. An automatic 'No problem, happy to,' fell from his lips while his brain worked on new and very enjoyable ways to kill his employer. This wasn't the way to prove something – if he had to kick these guys' asses they'd just hate him more. And besides – if they really did know how to fight, he'd have to seriously injure them to win, and that wouldn't help anybody, You _never_ volunteered to fight like this unless you had the measure of your opponent. What if all four of them were world champion kickboxers or something? OK, it was unlikely – but that wasn't the point. And it was so typically Ramon to come up with something like this. He wasn't trying to prove anything – he was only doing this for his own amusement. He was going to have him beat them and then turn them over to him to try and get them back on side and get the job done. Just because he felt like it. Jack wondered if this was retribution for his nerves around him earlier that day. Whatever. Too late to think about that now. He fixed a smile on and turned back to Arif.

'Well, how do you want to do this?'

Arif looked at him and seemed slightly unsure for the first time. Jack didn't seem to be worried and that was always unnerving. 'You're very confident. Arrogant even. I guess I shouldn't be surprised.' Jack just shrugged and waited for him to continue. The kid eyed him up for a moment then just said, 'Alright well – there's four of us you know?' Jack nodded, unconcerned. 'Give us a minute…'

He stared in disbelief as Arif actually turned to confer with his friends. _Why the fuck don't I just take them out right now, save us all some time?_ They certainly weren't acting like people who knew what they were doing. Still, he took the chance to pull Ramon aside.

'What are you doing man? If I hurt them, they'll never listen to me.'

'Of course they will – they'll respect you. You have to overpower them, it's the only way to get through to them.' He had to concede that Ramon might have a point there. But still, he didn't overlook the opportunity to find out what was really going on here.

'Is this because of this morning Ramon? Did I piss you off or something?'

Ramon turned to him with flat eyes. 'I told you, I don't like the scared routine. Maybe its time you show me that you've still got some balls eh? Now go and do your fucking job. I don't care if you hurt them, I don't like them anyway.' He stalked off, leant against the fence and lit a cigar. Jack watched him and just gave in, he'd have to go through with it anyway, it didn't matter what the reasons were. He pulled off his shades and threw them to Javier. 'Look after those for me man.'

'Sure thing Jack – I got fifty on you, so don't let me down!'

The others laughed and Jack looked round at them, realising that the bets had probably been made before he got there. Ramon had probably set this up in his head as soon as Arif had spoken to him, he'd certainly made sure that everyone was here to watch. And fuck! He hated fighting cold, for no reason. It was always easier when you were fuelled by anger or adrenaline or something. Still, he could do it.

'Come on boys, let's do this.' Ramon was getting bored waiting for them. He pushed away from the fence and pointed at Javier. 'You've got bets on?' He got a nod in confirmation. 'Well alright, let's make this interesting. Arif, come over here. Now – you're sure you want to do this?' Jack's heart sank as he watched the mindless anger flare from the face – he was just a brainwashed kid, trained to hate all Americans. He was only about twenty and had probably never left the Middle East in his life. And he'd walked straight into _here_, of all places…Jack felt sorry for him.

'Yes, I'm sure.'

'OK, well get ready to go then. There's just something I need to do first, then you can start. Javier, take no more bets. Except mine of course.' He walked over and pulled a wad out of his pocket. 'What are the odds on Jack?'

Well, it's four against one… the odds are two to one against him.' Ramon laughed and counted out five hundred dollars.

'You can cover that?' Javier nodded. 'Here you go men, this is how much faith I have in Jack.' They cheered as he handed over the money. 'And you know what - shame on all of you who bet against him. If he wins, I'll be coming to find out why you did.'

Smiles died on several faces instantly and Jack saw Ramon taking note of who it was that looked that way. He just wished they could get on with it, he didn't care who was betting what or for whom. He turned to face the four Arabs who were bunched together. Two of them looked nervous, but two looked calm – they'd be the ones to look out for. And Arif wasn't one of them. Ramon was still talking in the background, but Jack wasn't listening. He started to listen to the voice inside, the one that told him what to do when he was under attack. He went quiet and shut out sound, let his breath steady and become even, felt all tension leave his body. Everything focused on what he was about to do…he was aware of Ramon walking in front of him but didn't listen to him...until the man got really close and put his right hand on his shoulder, standing next to him. He was talking to the group of men still and Jack wished he'd leave him alone – but it seemed he had a strange definition of the words 'fair fight.'

'We all know what Jack can do – and our young friends are new here. We should give them a chance, what do you say Jack?' He just shrugged, not really listening. 'I'm glad you see it that way….' He shook his left arm and something dropped into his hand. He stepped away from Jack, grasped the end of it with his right and pulled it out of his sleeve. The eyes of the four young Arabs went wide as they saw the crowbar swing out – Jack didn't see it until it was too late. He had no time to defend himself and the metal crashed into his bare arm, not hard enough to break it but solidly enough to deaden it instantly. He closed his mouth against the cry of agony and shut his eyes against the cold feeling that immediately began to spread from the injury site – his arm was going numb and it would be useless to fight with.

Ramon laughed at the gasps of shock that came from everyone watching and casually flung the crowbar to the fence. The he turned to Jack and got right in his face. 'Make sure you win. If you don't, I'll expect a refund for that bet, plus interest, you _know_ what I'm saying? Since I figure that you can't stand to get close to me, that should be incentive enough for you to show these little fuckers who's boss…'

Jack struggled to get the pain under control even though he knew a hit like that was just a temporary problem. In a minute or so the initial flare would be gone and it would get warm and even feel nice as the natural endorphins kicked in. But it wouldn't matter – the arm was dead, and would be for at least the rest of the day and night. He felt a flicker of anger spark and then it ignited, a wave of fury flooded his system and he just wanted to take Ramon's head and shove it through the fence. He was moving forward towards the first of the kids before he knew it, imagining it was Ramon he was attacking. _Why the fuck does he always do this? Why is everything a fucking game for his amusement? If he doesn't get his own way, he acts like a kid and_ _**fuck,**he's pissing me off…!_

He shifted his body sideways to avoid a punch flying at his face while simultaneously throwing out his right and feeling it connect with Arif's nose. The guy staggered backwards and he followed it up with kick to the groin, putting him down and making him retch on the floor. Jalal and Hashim were the two who had appeared calm, Jack kept half an eye on them as he blocked a punch from Bahir, knocked the arm out of the way and drove his fist sideways into the kid's ribs. He didn't want to break them so he didn't do it too hard, just enough to make him curl over. The second it took for that to happen and he was already stepping back, winding up a punch that would knock him out. He went down pretty hard but Jack was already moving on, trying to keep his useless left arm close into his body.

These two _did_ know what they were doing. They split up and stayed one on either side of him so that he couldn't focus on both at once. They circled for a moment, Jack in the centre following their movements, but careful not to twirl too much in just the one direction in case he got dizzy. He knew what they were doing, they would rush him at the same time and hope he got confused. His mind had calmed, the anger had abated somewhat although he knew he was going to have to sort this out with Ramon later on. Part of him acknowledged that it would never be sorted, Ramon was not the type of guy to talk something out and then let it go. He _enjoyed_ this type of test too much, it was just part of who he was – a born sadist. Jack just wanted him to stop choosing him for every one of his games, but he knew he wouldn't have much luck.

The boys made their move. Jack left it until the last second to make it appear as though he was indecisive – then he just stepped back quickly. Jalal was on his good right side and tried to check the speed of his run but it was too late, Jack shot out his arm as the kid cannoned past, grabbed him by the throat and kicked his knees out from behind. He landed hard on his back and the wind left his body in a great rush, he immediately started gasping. Jack stepped over him, noticing that Hashim didn't look very confident – he knew he'd already lost this fight and so did Jack, but he wanted to see what he would do, whether he would give up or not. He noticed the boy's hands dropping and shook his head at him. 'Don't.' He was treated to a surprised expression and he smiled. 'You had a good idea there, don't throw it away. Come at me, I wont hurt you. You're doing well.'

He almost laughed at the bewilderment that covered his face but the hands came back up again. Jack purposefully put himself inside the kids range and just used the fluidity of his upper body to keep his head out of reach of the fists. He blocked the punches one handed for a while and found that he was grinning – and the kid was too. Eventually he caught a wrist and tugged, pulling him off balance…then he simply swept the kids legs and put him down – but carefully, hanging onto his shirt so he didn't land hard. Hashim laughed and held his hands up in surrender. Jack laughed too and pulled him back up. He offered his hand to shake and the boy took it instantly.

'Good job.'

'Thank you.'

He knew he had won one of them over and it felt good…actually, the whole thing had been kind of fun in the end. Not much of a challenge of course, but then, he didn't want to seriously hurt these boys. At least two of them had potential and he had to work with them after all. With that in mind, he walked over to Arif who was kneeling on the ground and looking angry. He studiously ignored Ramon on the way over, even though he could feel the eyes on him.

'No hard feelings?'

Arif spat on the ground in front of him. Jack just shrugged and walked away. The other one, Bahir, was awake and looking around in a bit of a daze. He took Jack's proffered hand without thinking and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. He checked his eyes, they were focusing alright so he wasn't concussed. He nodded when he was asked if he felt OK, and smiled a bit so Jack clapped him on the shoulder and moved on. Jalal had caught his breath and was standing with Hashim.

'You two did well. I think you'll learn a lot.' He watched them smile and saw that they felt proud. These two would listen to him, it was simply a matter of encouragement. They would be alright with him as long as he kept them learning and didn't give them anything too difficult that would crush their confidence. 'Do me a favour though alright? Talk to Arif. If he continues to act this way, I won't be able to help him. And he's here to learn things isn't he? What'll happen to him if he goes home and doesn't know anything?'

'He's not going home. He's…' Hashim shut up when Jalal nudged him in the ribs. Jack smiled and blew it off, even while his brain clicked on.

'No need to say anything. But still – he wants to be useful doesn't he? Talk to him, will you please?' He got a couple of nods and that was good enough for now. 'I'll see you both tomorrow.'

He couldn't put it off any longer. Ramon was waiting. He walked over, not looking up until he absolutely had to. Then he just leant against the fence next to him and lit a cigarette one-handed. 'Why'd they send them so young?' He had guessed but this was hardly the time to appear an expert in terrorism.

'They're going to the US after they leave here Jack. Sleepers.'

'College?'

'Yes.'

Jack felt sick. America was going to be educating those four and then employing them – and they'd be plotting against the country that helped them the whole time. He couldn't help but think of Nina. He shook his head and stubbed out his cigarette. She was the last person he needed in his head right now.

'I've gotta go clean up.' There was no response. It was impossible to know what the guy was thinking – but he was still angry enough to take a chance. He didn't look up but as he passed he paused and said in a quiet tone, 'That was low Ramon. Very low.' He was met by silence and there was no towering outburst of fury so he kept on walking, desperate for the shower and those drinks he'd promised himself after leaving town with Claudia.

Ramon watched him go. He wanted to be angry. He felt he should be throttling Jack with his bare hands right about now. But somehow, he wasn't. He leant on the fence and smoked his cigar, holding out his hand silently to Javier when the man came up to him. He was paid his winnings, which he pocketed. Then he said quietly, 'Get me a list of all the people who bet against Jack – I want it within an hour. It shouldn't even take you that long, seeing as you took the bets. But take those four up to their house first. Tell them that I'll be expecting them at nine tonight with the information they're supposed to have for me. Then go up to the house and wait downstairs for me. I'll meet you.'

Javier nodded his understanding and walked over to the young Saudis. Ramon turned and started to walk back to the house, deep in thought. _Why didn't he take them to pieces? He could have so easily. But he went easy on them and now at least two of them like him. I would have knocked that one out that spat at my feet but he just walked away. Is that any way to treat an enemy Jack?_

He threw his cigar away in disgust, and then instantly lit another one. He needed something to do with his hands. Jack had figured it out and that bothered him, the man was too damn smart sometimes. How could he figure that Ramon wasn't happy with the way he flinched every time he went near him? He didn't want him to do that – not necessarily out of any emotions he had, just because it was a drag. And they had been getting on very well before, really like brothers. It had been fun. Now there was a barrier and he didn't like it. He didn't stop to consider that it was his fault the barrier was there at all, that he had thought with something other than his brain and that's what had started all of this. All he thought of was how to punish Jack for his wariness, how to scare him back into submission – while keeping his brain and physical attributes for work. He quite liked that the man felt comfortable enough around himself and Hector to relax and drink and shoot the breeze – but all that stopped when they were alone. It made Ramon feel uncomfortable, which was weird because normally he revelled in people being off-balance around him. He had liked it when Jack was first here and he had…he stopped his thoughts. That had been part of the problem hadn't it? Jack hadn't _ever_ felt off-balance, or scared, not even when he was first here. It was the very fact that he had been fine around him that had made him so interesting to start off with…it was _now_ that the weirdness had started.

Ramon entered the house and started climbing the stairs. _But he's gay! Or at least, doesn't mind men. So why is it he doesn't want **me** to touch him…?_ Perhaps he had been telling the truth and it was awkward for him because they worked together. But he'd told him it wouldn't be, he just didn't seem to believe him. He stopped outside Jack's bedroom door. He could hear the shower running and for half a moment, was tempted to go in there and show him who was in charge. But he resisted the urge and walked on to his own room. He wouldn't give him the satisfaction of breaking down and taking it out on him. There would be other ways to get back at him. A small sense if satisfaction started at the thought of revenge on the personal slight that Jack was doling out on a daily basis…yes. He'd find another way to get at him. He considered doing what he did before, leaving him out of the business and not giving him anything to do but no, he'd already told him to go ahead and plan the raid on Montez. And he really needed him with those kids. So – yes. Something else that would hit him where it hurt. He grinned around his cigar and felt better. Everybody had a weakness or something that could be exploited. It shouldn't be so hard to find Jack's. Hell, if he got desperate, he'd just get him hooked on heroin again.

* * *

Jack winced as he got into the shower and the water hit his arm. He couldn't feel anything below his thistle tattoo but the actual point where the crowbar had landed was sore to the touch. It was going to leave a hell of bruise but that didn't matter, he'd suffered through a lot worse than bruises.

He couldn't believe it was only six in the evening. The day seemed to have lasted forever and it wasn't over yet. It was almost surreal in its intensity but hopefully he wouldn't have much more to do. He really needed to talk to Ramon though. He had to at least try and make him see that one day, there would be a game too far. What would he have done if he'd hit him too hard and broken his arm? He would probably have lost the fight, then his value as an instructor to those kids would be useless. Not that Ramon probably cared – but he also wouldn't have been much use with the regular guys either and so there would hardly be a point to keeping him around. Maybe he wouldn't be killed, Ramon had made it clear that he thought he was useful – but still, putting a 'useful' guy out of action for a few weeks served no purpose. He wondered how Ramon could be so smart and yet still run so completely on emotion the way he did. It didn't seem like he thought anything through when it came to the people around him – he really did just expect everyone to do what he said and not question it.

But he _wanted_ him to question stuff, to a certain degree anyway. Jack started to see the problem a little. He wouldn't treat Hector this way because he was blood family. He wasn't as close to Ramon – but he _was_ closer than a regular guy. The man didn't know where to fit him in.

He braced his good arm against the shower wall and let the cool water hammer down on his neck. There was an answer right there. It sprang into his mind and he turned it away instantly. _No. No! It hasn't come to that. I **won't**…_ And he didn't have to, not yet. Giving into Ramon at this point would possibly ruin everything anyway and could conceivably destroy the fragile trust between them totally. If Ramon thought he could use him and abuse him at will, he'd never respect him.

He sighed, stood up straight and began to soap himself one-handed. Of course, there was another problem now too. Not a major one but still, something he should sort out tonight. He didn't like the way he had left Claudia, he thought he should explain his behaviour to her a little better. He'd been quite off-hand with her since the airfield and felt bad about it – she wasn't to know that he just had things on his mind and he hadn't meant to be rude. He'd been pretty nervous around her too and that was – well, he wasn't sure what that was. But he should make sure she was alright anyway, she had been pretty shaken after the incident with the boys in town. He remembered the way that she'd tried to hide her shaking and then had kissed him on the cheek…he quickly put the thoughts from his mind as a familiar stirring in his groin nudged at him. _No, I won't think of her that way…nothing but trouble down that road man…_ He made the water even colder, rinsed off quickly and got out, thinking of nothing at all.

The lure of the freshly made bed was strong as he walked back into the main room. It was a couple of hours until dinner and he was exhausted after the late night and early waking that morning. He gave in, threw his towel on the floor and slid between the sheets for a nap. Hopefully he'd wake up, feel better and sort out this mess. Everything seemed to be a mess, it had been from the start and it didn't look to be getting any better either.

He tried to think things through a little more but his brain, and body, was exhausted. He'd fallen asleep even before he managed to set his alarm.

* * *

Claudia was pacing her room, stopping every now and again to stare out of the window. She had been crying quite a lot which she didn't like doing – but everything had been so frustrating recently. She was mad at Hector for being the unfaithful bastard he was, but she loved him too. She was always pissed at Ramon, just because she hated him…but most of all, today, she was angry at herself. She had been so stupid – she was rude to Jack, had tried to play games with him and then pouted like a child when he didn't rise to it. And because of her childishness, she'd almost caused an incident that could have been very dangerous – and he'd warned her. But she hadn't listened, had endangered both of them and he had still fixed it all. And then he thought that she might want to tell Hector and that he'd get the blame for leaving her in the first place!

Her head was all over the place. It had been for a while and that was nothing to do with Jack. She liked this lifestyle but she hated how it was paid for – but she still never walked away. She was a hypocrite. The problem was, she really did love Hector, but even he was unfaithful to her. Nothing was real. Everything was built on quicksand and right now, it felt like it was crumbling.

Maybe it was the heat that had gotten to her. But she couldn't sit still and everything seemed like a disaster. There was nothing she could do though and she didn't even have family here – her father and Sergio were in Las Nieves at the moment. It was just her, she couldn't even mask her stress by immersing herself in Hector.

She swore slightly when someone banged at her door, her eyes were red and puffy and she didn't want anyone to see her like that. 'Who is it?'

'It's Ramon. Open the door.'

Her heart sank further but at least it didn't matter if she looked like crap around him. She walked over to the door and opened it, daring him to comment on her appearance. 'What do you want?'

He had the usual smirk on his face and she wanted to slap him as his eyes wandered over her face and noticed the tearstains. 'Having a bad day? Oh, I expect you're missing Hector aren't you? I wonder if he feels the same…' He laughed openly and she had to clutch the door frame to keep from losing her temper. What was with everyone today? Normally, they were civil around each other because it was less hassle all round – but he was obviously in a testy mood.

'What do you _want_ Ramon?'

His eyes lost their amusement. 'There's no need to be rude Claudia. I just came to tell you that I'm having dinner brought in for everyone tonight – we're having a party. So you don't need to worry about cooking.'

She was actually grateful to hear this and she lost some of the edge from her voice. 'Thank you Ramon. I appreciate you coming to tell me.'

He nodded. 'That's better.' He walked away and she started to close the door but stopped when she heard him call back. 'Have you seen Jack?'

'No. Last I saw of him he was parking the Jeep.'

'If you see him, tell him I want him will you?'

'Yes alright.'

'Food will be here in twenty minutes.' He disappeared and she closed the door properly, then leant on the back of it. There was nothing she could do about all this now. The best thing she could do was make herself look presentable and go and have some fun. Try to anyway. Jack would be around and she could find him and apologise properly for her behaviour. She still didn't know what had got into her, she was ashamed of herself.

She'd had a shower as soon as she got back so she just washed her face, scrubbing it hard to make it red all over so her tearstains were not obvious. Then she applied a light veneer of makeup and on close inspection, decided that the damage was minimal – no one would know that she had been hiding out and crying like a six year old. As she left the bathroom, her eyes fell on two large carrier bags – damn, she had forgotten to take Jack's new clothes to his room for him. He was probably looking for them. She checked the clock - she had some time. She could drop them off quickly then go find him downstairs before the drink started flowing properly.

The hallway was deserted, Ramon had disappeared. He lived on the other side of the house anyway but one of the rooms that joined the two wings was used as a joint office for both of them so he was often around. She walked past the guestrooms, down the few steps that joined the two main staircases that rose up from the entrance hall, up the corresponding ones on the other side and into Ramon and Jack's side of the house.

It was silent and empty, Ramon had obviously gone downstairs. She walked round the corner to Jack's room and knocked loudly on the closed door. She didn't expect him to be in there but it was a common politeness. There was no response but she knocked again anyway just in case. A few seconds later when she didn't hear anything, she opened the door. It was silent as it swung open and she meant to just leave the bags inside the door when a small movement caught her eye. She looked into the room – and gasped aloud when she realised he was in there sleeping. She was about to drop the bags but then thought that she couldn't leave them there, he'd know that she'd been inside.

Her eyes were drawn to him. She couldn't seem to help it. She put the bags down outside the door, hesitated for a moment…then slipped inside quietly. She didn't know exactly why, just that he looked so different lying there – it was hard to resist. She'd never seen him when he didn't have a guard of some sort up…and the way he was laying, on his back with a sheet just barely covering his hips…he was so open. It was enticing, especially after the day she'd just spent with him. And she remembered that morning when he'd been discussing work at breakfast with Ramon and Hector…she'd been surprised when he'd been clear that he didn't want to kill a lot of people. That had aroused her curiousity too, especially since she'd had to remind herself all day that this was a man that sometimes did terrible things. But _he_ didn't seem terrible – hard yes, cold, sometimes – but not evil. He was human behind the ice in the blue eyes and he seemed to value the lives of others to some degree…so how was he capable of torturing a man to death mercilessly?

She was standing over the bed now. His right arm was bent up so the hand was resting alongside his head, which was turned away from her. His left arm lay spread out, but flat on the bed and she could see an angry looking red mark on it right over a tattoo. She wondered how that had happened – maybe in the scuffle with the boys in town and she just hadn't noticed? It looked painful. She would pretend to notice it later on and see whether she could help him with it.

Her eyes travelled to his face and she marvelled at how peaceful he looked as he breathed softly. Years younger too, when the eyes were closed. His hair was fluffy on the pillow, it must have been wet when he got into bed. She smiled, it was cute. Her gaze fell lower, down the tanned neck – and she pulled in a sharp breath at the sight of his torso. It was lean and the muscles were clearly defined all over…but it was the scars that grabbed her attention. There were so many of them! They were on both sides, they looked like cuts or burns, drawn in methodical pink lines at regular intervals. There were two or three other lines in random places, it looked like something hot had been pressed into his skin. And there was the clearly defined puckered scar in his left side – obviously a bullet hole. She stared in astonishment, but not revulsion. She found herself more curious than anything – what had happened to him? She wanted to know – those marks told a story and she realised she wanted to know what it was…

She also couldn't help but notice that the sheet was riding low on his thin hips – he was clearly naked under there. A flush spread across her cheeks as she admitted that she was intrigued…but she'd intruded enough. She shouldn't be in here at all. Claudia reminded herself that she was with someone else, someone that shouldn't be messed around with even if he wasn't on the premises at the moment. She pulled herself away and walked out quietly, leaving the bags with his clothes outside the door. But she admitted to herself as she walked downstairs that he was a _very_ interesting man – maybe she could get to know him better after she'd apologised for her behaviour. She wanted to know about him – how he got to be the way he was, where those marks came from…and how was it that a man that looked so innocent when he slept, could manage to do such awful things when he woke?

She was snapped out of her reverie by Ramon, whose mood didn't seem to have improved any, with her at least. 'Have you seen Jack anywhere yet?'

She shook her head. 'Have you tried his room? I just dropped his clothes off outside – there was no answer when I knocked but I wasn't sure if I heard something from inside or not.'

He looked at her blankly. 'Well, why didn't you just go in?'

She rolled her eyes. 'Because he's a man Ramon and that's his space. I'm not about to intrude.' He got her point and moved on up the stairs, she examined the floor for a moment, wondering seriously what had gotten into her today. Ramon's voice floated down at her from above. 'Everyone's outside and the food's here. Go and say hi to our visitors would you?'

Claudia squared her shoulders and headed outside, trying to rid her mind of thoughts of Jack. She'd see him later anyway.

* * *

Ramon banged on his bedroom door hard and hollered through it. 'Jack are you in there?' There was no answer, so he just walked on in. He caught sight of the figure in the bed and a broad grin spread across his face. He went over to take a look but didn't linger, he'd seen it before after all. He did have the brief notion to wake him up the way he had done in Mexico, it definitely looked inviting all laid out like that – but he remembered his anger from earlier and held on to it. He wouldn't give Jack the satisfaction of showing him that he wanted him. Still, he let his eyes flicker over the muscular torso too, just as Claudia had done – and like Claudia, he noticed the scars. He was interested as well, but he figured he'd just ask him what happened sometime. Until then, they had a party to get to. The drinks were flowing already, there were women everywhere and he was determined that he wasn't going to spend time worrying about Jack tonight. He'd make sure he had a good time and that was it – all the other shit could wait. He just wanted to get loaded and get laid.

He headed to the bathroom, filled a cup of cold water and walked back to the bed. Jack didn't move, he really was out like a light. Ramon smirked and casually poured the water over his face. He awoke with a yell and sat bolt upright in bed – Ramon saw shock, anger and…was that…fear?...cross his features in the flash of an eye, then he just looked sleepy. Ramon laughed and appreciated the eyeful he got when the sheet slipped off him. Jack glared and covered himself over.

'What time is it?'

'It's party time Jack! There's food and drink to feed an army downstairs and women to suit all tastes. Even yours I would imagine – or maybe not…' He leered and Jack flushed, then tried to rub the sleep from his eyes.

'Ramon, I'm really tired. Can I skip it?'

His face fell and darkened. 'No Jack, you can not fucking well skip it. It's supposed to be a welcoming party for the boys, not that its any use for them seeing as they don't smoke, don't drink, don't do drugs and wouldn't know what to do with a woman if one landed on their faces. But it's an excuse to have fun and you've got to represent the family with me as Hector's not here. And even if he _was_ here, you'd still have to come. So get your lazy ass out of bed and get downstairs. Shit, get wasted and bring a couple of girls back up here for all I care but for fucks sake, have some fun. I'm tired of your moping around crap.'

Jack stared at him and knew he wasn't getting out of it. He winced as he tried to move his arm, he'd forgotten about it. It was responding to him, but sluggishly, and it was starting to hurt like a bitch. It reminded him that he wanted to sort some things out with Ramon. Even though it didn't seem like the best time, he figured he'd try anyway. 'I need to talk to you.'

'What about?'

'Earlier.'

Ramon sighed with exasperation. 'Jack, did you not understand what I just said?' He moved to the cabinet and pulled a bag of meth out of his pocket, which he then proceeded to crush and cut into lines. 'We are _not_ talking about work tonight, or your fucking problems with what I do. We are _not_ discussing past events or chewing over the intricacies of our working or non-working relationship tonight. Tonight? We are getting wasted and having fun.' He grinned roguishly and Jack couldn't help it, then mans mood was infectious. He grinned back and decided that yes, he could let it go for this evening. Fuck it. 'That's better. Now get your ass out of bed and get over here for a wake-up call.'

Jack waved a hand at the floor. 'Pass me that towel please.'

Ramon looked at it, looked at him then bent to pick it up. Then he balled it up and threw it into the bathroom. 'Get over here. I've seen it all already, remember? And anyway, if I hadn't have fucked you, you wouldn't think anything about walking around naked with me here. I'm sure you've shared showers with men before, so for Gods. Sake. Stop, being such a prude and get _over_ here!' He turned and bent down to the drugs, leaving Jack a furious red colour. It was the first time Ramon had ever come directly out with it and acknowledged what had happened. In such crude terms anyway.

He sighed and gave up. Ramon was Ramon and he'd have to put up with it. Besides, the idea of a night of partying seemed good. After the day he'd had, he needed it. He wouldn't forget the talk he meant to have with the man, but it could wait until the morning. Jack threw off the sheet and walked over to the cabinet. He kept back a bit but still had to contend with a still-bent-over Ramon turning his head to stare straight at his naked body and then up at his face with a crazy grin on his face. Jack shook his head in mock exasperation, pulled the rolled-up note from his hand and shoved him in the shoulder to push him out of the way. He got it. Ramon was playing around with him, but he wasn't going to do anything. He was just in a good mood it seemed, and ready to party.

'Outta the way.'

Ramon laughed and pretended to be offended. He waited until Jack was mid-line, then he reached over and pinched his butt. Jack tried not to laugh and blow the drugs everywhere but it worked, he was fully lightened up. He pretended to glare and throw a kick out at Ramon, who dodged it and headed for the door. 'Bring the rest of the bag with you when you're done. I expect to see you downstairs with a drink in your hand in no more than ten minutes tops, OK?'

'Yeah yeah, get outta my room. I'll be down.' He shook his head and finished the remaining lines, then he found some clothes to wear. Clean jeans and a black shirt would do fine, it was still hot. He used the bathroom and tried to calm the fluffiness of his hair with water, was somewhat successful, then he had a frantic five minutes trying to find some deodorant. He remembered that he'd bought some earlier on and wondered what Claudia had done with his bags but he couldn't find them…until he left the room. Then he rolled his eyes at himself, retrieved them from the hallway where she'd left them for him and found what he wanted. He even had the foresight to pick up a couple of condoms that he always carried in his wallet – he wasn't really planning on needing them but with the mood Ramon was in, you never knew. He might not get a choice.

The party was in full swing when he got downstairs. He'd never know Ramon to open the house up before but he certainly had tonight – there were people everywhere. They were also all outside where there was table upon table of delicious food waiting for people to help themselves to, and everywhere he looked there was alcohol being passed around, and drugs as well. Everybody was high, happy and having fun. It looked like he'd ordered in every hooker from town as well, it was easy to spot who they were. The single guys were in their element – and just about everybody was single tonight it seemed, whether they had a partner or not.

Jack grabbed a bottle of scotch from a nearby table and took a long pull from it without using a glass. He felt good, the drugs were working their magic and all the stress of the day just lifted clean away. He was starving too, he'd been hungry when he'd woken up and the drugs hadn't been able to kill his appetite. He picked up a plate and loaded it, then went to sit in the kitchen to eat.

He wasn't really sure how to handle himself at these things. Ramon was off somewhere, doing whatever and the guys pretty much stuck to themselves – he knew that he wasn't one of them anymore and they might feel awkward if he went and joined them, like he was a parent at a teenager's party or something. It made him a bit sad, they'd been his friends for a while there. But he wasn't for long, the great thing about speed was that it made your mind work overtime and he could happily turn over things in his head to keep himself occupied while he filled up.

The music was loud in the house, mostly American rock stuff. He could see through the window that some boards had been put down as a makeshift dance floor and there were a load of people out there already putting down some moves. Most of the guys were terrible but the hookers were quite good and he passed an amusing five minutes watching them get fawned over by their inept male partners.

He finished eating and started concentrating on drinking heavily. He even managed to find a glass. It wasn't long before he heard his name being yelled and he looked up to see Carlos bearing down on him with a huge grin on his handsome young face, and a bunch of people in tow.

'Jack! There you are. We wanna have a shot contest man, and you've gotta play.'

'OK. How do you guys do it?'

'Easy.' He grabbed a bunch of glasses and set them down on the table, then filled all of them with tequila or scotch. Then he lined them up so there were ten each on either side of the table. 'OK, me and Pietro'll go first.' The guy was already slurring and Jack laughed at him. God knows what he had taken. Pietro grinned at him and moved to the other side of the table. 'Jack, yell 'go', anytime you like.'

'Go!'

It was a straight race to see who could get to the end of the line first. Jack had seen a few pretty disgusting variations on this in his time with the army, and glad that they were just sticking to drinking alcohol. If anyone stopped, passed out, fell over or puked before they finished their ten, they were disqualified. A bunch of people were watching and the cheering got loud as Carlos just came in first. He raised his arms to the crowd and someone poured a cup of vodka over his head as a victory salute.

'K Jack, you go next. Javier, get in here.'

Jack was more than happy to play and he wondered why he had thought that they wouldn't include him. He was glad they were cooler than that – also glad to kick Javier's ass by a clear two shots. He was cheered loudly as well, but no one threw vodka on him and he was happy about that. He noticed that he had managed to acquire a couple of girls at his side as well, without lifting a finger. He grinned and stepped aside for the next two players. Life was good.

They carried on playing for two hours or so, everybody wanted a go. He had no clue if anyone knew who was winning but that wasn't the point. Everyone was blasted and _that_ was the point. He won another three rounds and had been drinking solidly in between turns – he was feeling pretty out of it so decided to wander around for a while. And there needed to be a bathroom too, he definitely felt strongly about that.

Carlos pushed him out of the room, calling him a pussy and he laughed as he flipped him the bird on his way out. Someone offered him a line of coke in the hallway and he took it gratefully. Then he thought 'Bedroom – has a bathroom!' and headed for the stairs. It only took him five minutes to walk up them, which he was quite impressed with, considering the way the house was spinning. Having successfully managed to locate his bathroom, he went back downstairs and decided to get more food to sober up a bit before the next assault on the bottle.

A few of the tables had collapsed, probably because of people falling into them. There was a makeshift soccer game going on but everyone seemed to be against everyone else, so it didn't make much sense. He helped himself to some chicken and went to sit on the porch to eat it and watch the 'game.' It didn't take long for a girl to come and sit next to him.

'Not interested thanks honey, I'm a bit drunk.' He noticed that he wasn't slurring and wondered how that was possible. Drugs were helping he assumed.

'Jack, it's me.'

He swung his head round and peered at the girl. It took a minute but eventually, 'Claudia! Are you having a good time?'

She wasn't, but didn't want to bring down his mood so she nodded and smiled. 'Yes of course.' _Sixty frat boys and their partners and about that many hookers again, all loaded and trashing the place? Oh yes Jack, that's my idea of a good time…_

'Have you seen those Saudi boys? This party is supposed to be for them, and I haven't seen them once! It's pretty rude actually…'

'They were here – but they don't drink so they didn't stay long. I think they've got jetlag anyway.'

'Hmm…' He didn't want to talk about them. He wondered why she was running her hand up his arm, then flinched when she pressed over his tattoo. 'Ow! Don't do that…'

'Why, what did you do?'

'Ramon hit me with a crowbar. No big deal though, just a dead arm. It'll be OK.'

'What did he do that for?'

'It doesn't matter.' He didn't want to talk about it, he just wanted to enjoy the evening. The last time he'd felt like this was in Mexico and he'd been having a great time until Tony turned up and spoiled it. He didn't want Claudia to do the same thing to him tonight. She seemed to pick up on his reluctance to talk about it and moved on.

'Jack, I wanted to apologise for my behaviour today. I was a real bitch and you didn't deserve it. And thank you for helping me out with the boys in the town.'

'No problem. I could hardly let them take you, could I?' That hadn't come out exactly as he had planned and he noticed her look away with a slightly hurt expression. 'Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. Just that – well, I wasn't very nice either. I didn't mean to be rude to you.' He smiled and she looked back and noticed again how his blue eyes sparkled. They looked at each other for a long moment, and Jack felt as though the music was fading slightly in the background. A tiny sober part of his brain kicked in and he was suddenly conscious of how close she sitting to him, he could feel her body heat through her dress and her hand was still resting on his arm. He looked down and then away and tried to shuffle back without seeming to obvious. _No no no, Jack, she's Hector's girlfriend. Don't even think about it…_

He was relieved when he heard someone calling his name. 'Yeah, I'm out here.'

Someone he didn't know stuck his head out of the front door and looked round at where he was sitting. 'Ramon wants you Jack. He's in his study.'

'OK, thanks.' He looked across at Claudia again and she smiled. He nodded to her. 'I'll see you later or tomorrow or something.' He still felt drunk but more grounded than before. He hauled himself up and walked into the house. He was offered more drugs – he took the speed and left the coke. He had to fight his way through bodies to get down the hallway and hoped that there was nothing valuable in this place, because it was a total mess.

He knocked on the door, then got accidentally pushed through it by a passing woman. He apologised to her and then to Ramon, who was already laughing at the state of him. Jack surveyed the room – there were women in there and a couple of men that he didn't know. Ramon said something in Portuguese and the men got up and left without a word, then he waved Jack into a chair. He sat gratefully on one of the sofas, and got himself together a bit. The moment that had passed between himself and Claudia had shaken him a bit and he was aware of once again, being on shaky ground. But she wasn't in here, he was drunk and high and everything had melted away – he was feeling no stress, no pain and the relief of it was enormous. He hadn't felt this light since he was on heroin and he wanted it to last forever.

Ramon nodded at one of the girls and she went to sit beside him, immediately running her hands over his chest. He looked at her and she was beautiful. She had a class to her that the girls outside didn't have – he looked around the room at the other three and they were obviously high-class too. Ramon saw him looking and laughed.

'Yes Jack, only the best for us.' He looked utterly relaxed, the collar of his expensive shirt was open, he held a brandy and a fat cigar and his feet rested comfortably on the table between them. 'I thought I'd make sure you got some decent action tonight.' He pulled one of the other girls to him and kissed her but Jack didn't get a chance to respond anyway, suddenly the woman next to him was kissing _him_ and she tasted amazing… he realised that apart from that sorry incident in the club, he hadn't been with a woman since the night he left LA. That had been Kate – he was suddenly hit with the fact that he hadn't even considered her once since that night, it was like she had been erased from his memory until now. It was a strange thought and he found himself burying his right hand in the woman's long brown hair. It had been almost three months and that suddenly seemed like far, _far_ too long…

He pulled back from her and asked the woman her name. She smiled as though he was sweet for wanting to know. 'Adela.' Then she kissed him again and he didn't worry about anything else, her lips were hot and full and caressed his so gently…he felt like he was melting into them and wondered if it was the drugs, or just the fact that it had been so long since he had been touched with any real gentleness.

He heard a low laughing and broke off, suddenly aware that Ramon was there. It didn't actually feel very awkward, but then considering the fact that his last sex had been with the man, he supposed it shouldn't be. 'I think she likes you Jack.' She was unfastening one of his buttons over his stomach and sliding her hand inside to touch his skin, he felt her gentle stroking across the fine hair on his body and wondered if he'd ever felt anything more exquisite.

'Yeah, I think she does…' He watched what she was doing for a minute and then a thought occurred to him. 'Sorry man, do you want us to leave? I mean, we can…'

Ramon waved him into silence. 'Stay right where you are and enjoy yourself.' Jack barely heard him, she was kissing him again and he couldn't get enough of her sweet lips. His slid his tongue into her mouth, she sucked on it slightly and he felt a ripple of pleasure run down his body directly into his groin. He tried to lift his left arm to hold her closer but it still wasn't responding well, although he had more movement than before. It didn't hurt, probably because of all the drugs but he cursed it anyway, he wanted to touch her properly. She noticed him trying to move it and pulled back. 'You got a problem honey?'

'Arm injury. Sorry, I…' She shushed him with a finger to his lips, then slid onto his lap, facing him and resting lightly on his thighs. Her skirt was short but not too tight, he ran a hand up the outside of her smooth thigh and it moved out of the way easily to allow him to cup her ass and pull her tighter into him. She smiled and opened the rest of the buttons on his shirt, raking her fingernails lightly over his chest and making him shiver with the sensations it caused. He moved his hand and started to work on her blouse, but she stopped him.

'Let me.' He watched with growing anticipation as her long fingers slowly undid her buttons, revealing her lacy black underwear inch by agonising inch. Her breasts were large and full, exactly at his eye level and he couldn't stop himself, he hooked a finger into the thin material and pulled it down, allowing one breast to fall free of its restraints. He just looked at it for a moment, his cock growing harder by the second until he couldn't stand it anymore – his mouth closed round the dark nipple and he began to suck gently, feeling her push into him softly and run her fingers through his hair.

His mind was completely oblivious to anything around him, he lost himself completely in the softness in his mouth, in the small moans he could hear that started in her chest. He teased her nipple gently, enjoying making it hard, flicking his tongue over it lightly to hear her gasp. After a few moments, he moved his head to the right one and he loved the way that he felt enclosed in her arms, and cushioned by the breast he had just left behind. He played softly, trying to ignore the insistent pushing of his cock against his jeans, just wanting to stay in the moment. But Adela noticed and he groaned against her skin as a hand snaked down his body and started rubbing the bulge between his legs, gently at first but then more insistently as his sucking got harder.

It felt too nice, he had to break for a minute. He didn't know why he was feeling this way, but he wasn't going to question it. She made him feel safe with her softness and he wanted to feel that way – he was tired of feeling possessed and used. It was heaven to just sit back and be touched with kindness…he rested his head against the back of the sofa as she finally lowered his zipper and her small, warm hand slid inside his pants. His breath hitched as she closed around him but there was still material between their skin and he didn't want that. He let her do it though and a moment later he was free, straining upwards and her hand slithered over him, making him hot all over, sending waves of pleasure through his body, down his shaft and into his balls. He wanted to touch her back but couldn't seem to summon the energy, it was bliss, this rhythmic moving on his most sensitive skin, he felt like he could drift, feeling like this, forever.

Her motion got more insistent after a while and he couldn't just sit back and take it, he needed more. She was sitting back slightly so she could have easy access to his cock, he simply spread his legs slightly to create a space between hers. He wanted to make her feel the way he felt right now, so he was soft and careful as he trailed his fingers up her inner thigh, stroking her tenderly until he heard her start to whimper in need for him. He smiled up at her and saw the lust on her face – she wasn't faking this. He held her gaze as he finally allowed his fingers to slide over her lips, watching her eyes go wide and loving the way she pushed her hips towards him slightly, wanting more. Her hand paused on his cock and squeezed it as she was overtaken by her own pleasure for a while. He smiled again and tickled her lightly, then let a finger slide inside her body, making her moan. His thumb sought out her clit and pressed it lightly, she squirmed against his hand and tried to encourage him to move faster. But Jack was loving seeing the effect he was having, it was making his blood run faster and his cock pulse harder in her unmoving hand.

She remembered that she was supposed to be helping him out too and began to jerk him again, harder this time because she wanted him to give her more. It worked too, the sensations made him breathe faster and he slid another finger inside her, feeling her become more aroused. Her skin was flushing from the pressure and he was suddenly determined to make her come, right there with him watching her face, it seemed important. His fingers worked quicker and he added a third, pushing them in and out harder as she moaned and thrust into them. Jack watched as mouth opened in a squeal, her body tightened around his fingers and Christ, watching her come made him crazy. He swallowed to control his own arousal but couldn't ignore the way his cock was starting to ache and a glance down showed him that pre-come was dribbling steadily from the tip. He couldn't wait anymore, his penis was a iron rod standing up straight from his body – he quickly undid his belt for comfort, the grabbed her ass with his one good hand , lifted up her small body and impaled her hard…her head fell forward into his neck and she cried out as he felt her come again, the tightening of her muscles almost tipping him over the edge himself. But he screwed up his eyes and fought it and after a minute she pulled away and kissed him hard…then started to rock on him, pushing down as hard as she could, trying to get him as deep as he go…he bit his lip and held on, he wasn't conscious of anything except the slippery warmth that was tight around his penis, contracting and letting go, sending wave after wave of unbearable heat and pleasure right into the centre of him. He thrust up into her hard, trying to get even deeper, pushing up from the floor, feeling her breasts rub against his face as she moved, faster and faster until he could hardly bear it anymore, the pressure in his groin had nowhere to go and suddenly he was coming and his body went rigid, a strangled cry ripping from his throat as he pushed her down, trying to bury his entire being inside of her, trying to disappear in the white hot pleasure that engulfed every sense and made him lose track of the world and where he was, who he was, what he was doing…

It seemed to last forever but he couldn't stay there, suddenly it was gone and he sagged, his mind swirling, his chest heaving as he fought to gain control of his ragged breathing. Warmth flooded his body and he was glad that the woman he held in his arms was warm as well, she was shuddering slightly but seemed to be OK. He brushed back the hair from her face and kissed her, she responded eagerly – but he could feel she was tired. He was too – and suddenly sober, the drugs were gone and the overhead lights seemed too bright.

_Christ Jack…what the fuck was **that**_? But he didn't want to think about it too much, it had felt good and that was the important thing. For a while there, he'd got away from the squalor of this mission and his own guilty conscience…but then…his head dropped forward and he closed his eyes in pain. He let the girl go as the familiar scent of Ramon's cigar reached him. _Just when you thought you could go no lower man…you just had amazing sex in front of Ramon Salazar…the guy who you allowed to fuck you a couple of weeks ago…do you think he got off on watching that? I bet he fucking did…and you didn't even think about it…Jack, what are you **doing**…?_

Adela was gone from his lap and he tidied himself up without raising his eyes. But then, there were no more buttons or zips to manoeuvre and he didn't have a choice. He looked up to meet Ramon's eyes and see the smirk that he knew would be there – and he wasn't disappointed. The girl next to him was wiping her mouth and his hand covered his exposed groin – the room tilted and Jack had to get out of there. The shots from earlier roiled in his stomach and he stood up. 'I don't feel well.'

Ramon nodded towards the door silently but he was already on his way – he made it to the downstairs bathroom before throwing up everything his body had, and then some more. He retched until his throat was screaming, until his stomach groaned in agony and even then he couldn't stop. But finally, there was nothing else to give and he fell back to the floor, tears wet on his face, mixing with the cold sweat that drenched him.

It was half an hour before he could get off the floor and pull himself up the stairs. The house was almost empty now, the music had dimmed and there were only quiet voices to be heard – people somehow seemed to have passed out or gone to find a dark corner to fornicate in. Jack paused at the top of the stairs and looked down into the hallway at the destruction below…and then turned away from it, his mind unable to deal with what it saw. He just wanted to sleep and have it all be gone in the morning – but he knew that even if it was, Ramon would still be there. And that was something that could never be made to disappear.


	21. Authors Note

FOR ALL READERS

Due to the way this fic is going, I'm not going to be able to post the rest of it here. While it won't all be adult content, there will be a lot of stuff that's unsuitable for this site, where there are potentially under-age readers. And frankly, I won't be able to edit out every 'mature' line, inference or section in every chapter without causing irreparable damage to the plot.

If anyone would like to continue reading, hit this link...

armbell(dot)com/forum/index.php?mforummeg&siddc48b536c6b432b4b3bee7f1496b5c6d

Replace the (dot) with a real one obviously

Its posted there in it's unedited entirety, and it's in a folder under my username where there are no comments by reviewers, so it's easy to find and read without interruption or having to look for it. Feel free to catch up on it there. Thanks y'all :D


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